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Much tidying up yet remains. To this day, parts of Canada still fly the British Union Jack, although the government is trying during the pageantry of the Queen's visit to spread the use of the Red Ensign, with its hard-to-discern Canadian shield. Canadians are unable to decide on a national anthem, and sing either God Save the Queen or O Canada.
Semantic Upkeep. Britain has stayed busy supplying semantic changes to keep pace with events. India and Pakistan, both republics, became members of the monarchical Commonwealth on condition that they acknowledge the Crown as "Head of the Commonwealth." At a London Conference in 1949 the assembled Prime Ministers issued a communique that began with a reference to "the British Commonwealth" and ended with a declaration of unity by the "free and equal members of the Commonwealth." It was no accident that the adjective "British" vanished in transit. Lester ("Mike") Pearson, then Canada's External Affairs chief, recalls: "It was the British genius for evasion or compromise or common sense, whatever you wish to call it. Neither name satisfied everyone there, so both were used. It is now officially and in daily talk—at least in Canada—just 'the Commonwealth.' "
Empire Day was rechristened Commonwealth Day, which led the London Economist last December to wonder just what it is "we are celebrating" and to publish a ditty, to be sung to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas.
Cwthmas* Carol
On the tenth day of Cwthmas, the Commonwealth brought to me
Ten Sovereign Nations
Nine Governors General
Eight Federations
Seven Disputed Areas
Six Trust Territories Five Old Realms,
Four Present or Prospective Republics
Three High Commission Territories,
Two Ghana-Guinea Fowl,
One Sterling Area One Dollar Dominion One Sun That Never Sets One Maltese Cross One Marylebone Cricket Club One Trans-Antarctic Expedition And a Mother Country Up a Gum Tree.
Club Without Rules. In legal terms the Commonwealth simply represents "the lowest common denominator of consent." It has no constitution or common law applicable to all members; none is pledged to come to the defense of any of the others. There are no obligations or set meetings, no voting procedures or joint policies, and no stated method of .applying for admittance or of being rejected.
The only lines drawn direct from Commonwealth areas to London are those between the Crown and its representatives, usually Governors General or Governors. In the case of the remaining colonies, real power flows through these lines; in the case of the independent nations, the power is purely theoretical, and in practice the Prime Ministers name Governors General. Because ambassadors represent heads of state, and the Queen in most cases is head of state, Commonwealth nations use High Commissioners as representatives from one to another.