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QUEBEC — There was a time when a visit from the Royal Family to Quebec would have caused an uproar, especially among sovereigntists. Not now.

When Prince Charles lands in Montreal on Tuesday, he won't be greeted by hordes of demonstrators. His trip is a matter of supreme indifference to most Quebecers, including separatists.

"I think it's a non-event for many Canadians, not just Quebecers," said McGill University political scientist Antonia Maioni. "And when it becomes an non-event, passions aren't stirred in the same way."

A poll conducted last week for a Montreal newspaper suggested almost 80 per cent of Quebecers think monarchy is a "useless" relic that should be abolished.

Another survey done for Canwest News Service and Global National ahead of the royals' visits suggested Quebec is the Canadian province where anti- monarchy feelings are the strongest, at 60 per cent.

Still, separatists leaders have made it clear they don't want to "waste" any time protesting the presence of Charles and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, in the province.

"I think his visit is unnecessary, but, that being said, I won't take it to the streets to demonstrate," Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois said.

She said she expects the pair will be greeted with indifference in the province, calling the royals "out-of-date."

Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe also called the monarchy a "depasse and archaic" system not worthy of his attention.

One radical sovereigntist group is planning a demonstration when Charles and Camilla visit the Montreal-based Black Watch regiment to present new colours. But even the organizer is downplaying the scope of the protest.

"I have to be honest, Prince Charles is not a priority for us," said Patrick Bourgeois, of the newspaper Le Quebecois and president of Reseau de resistance du Quebecois.

He said he expects between 100 and 200 anti-monarchists will show up.

"We have more pressing issues to deal with, especially Bill 104," he added, referring to the Supreme Court of Canada's decision to strike down a Quebec law limiting access to English public schools.

Maioni said the disinterest illustrates how the role of the Royal Family in Canada, albeit symbolic, has changed in the past decades.

"Before, the Queen was a lightning rod of something, she symbolized the presence of British legacy and the British crown in Canada. That's eroded over time and that's why it's less of (a) symbol to attack," she stressed.

Nonetheless security will be tight during Prince Charles's visit because Bourgeois' group has a reputation for creating havoc. Bourgeois was instrumental in forcing the cancellation of the re-enactment of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in which the English defeated the French.

"We're no terrorists," Bourgeois said in an interview. "But we'll make sure our voice is heard."

Stephen A. Scott, a McGill constitutional law professor interested in anything monarchy-related, noted a visit from the Queen herself would likely raise more of a ruckus in Quebec, or even one from Charles's son, the popular Prince William.

Earlier this year, it was announced that Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, will visit Canada in 2010. It is not yet known whether she will come to Quebec.

Her last visit dates back to 1992 for a brief reception at the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Que.

But her 1964 trip to the provincial capital is the one that stirred the biggest controversy. Mass demonstrations were organized and hundreds of protesters were arrested during that visit.

Details of Charles and Camilla's visit are being released sparingly, but they are expected to be greeted at the airport by Quebec Premier Jean Charest. The heir to the throne will also give a speech on the environment at the Montreal Biodome.

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 12:40 pm and is filed under Breaking News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.