Prime Minister Mark Carney is sending a strong signal about Canada’s sovereignty by inviting King Charles III to read the Speech from the Throne.

The move is already ruffling feathers in Quebec where a number of Bloc seats turned red in favour of the Liberals, and where the historic domination of French language and culture by the English is deeply felt.

The last time the Sovereign read the Speech from the Throne in Canada was in 1977 when Queen Elizabeth II was in the country on a royal tour at the time.

The Prime Minister says he asked the King to read the Speech from the Throne, which in Canada is typically read by the Governor General who is the King’s representative. Carney says his intent was deliberate.

He says the King, who is King of Canada, will open Parliament on May 26th as “the ultimate head of state” and “clearly underscoring the sovereignty of our country.”