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In a notable act of defiance, five newly elected councilors in Dawson City, a small town in Canada, collectively refused to swear an oath of allegiance to King Charles III during their investiture ceremony on Tuesday. This act goes against a legal requirement in Yukon's Municipal Act, which mandates that officials pledge allegiance to the British monarch, who remains Canada's official head of state.

Under the Yukon's regulations, elected councilors typically swear an oath of allegiance to the British monarch within 40 days of their election, right after taking their oath of office. However, Dawson City Mayor Stephen Johnson revealed to CBC News that the decision to refuse the royal oath was made collectively by the councilors ahead of the ceremony. This move was sparked by council member Darwyn Lynn, who expressed hesitancy due to the historical relationship between the Crown and First Nations in Canada.

“Early in the morning, we all received an email from Darwyn,” Johnson recounted. “He said he was hesitant to sign on because of the background history with the Crown and First Nations in Canada.”

Despite refusing the royal oath, four councilors present on Tuesday took their oaths of office, with the fifth member expected to do so upon returning from vacation. Samantha Crosby, Yukon’s Director of Community Affairs, told CBC News that it is rare for an entire group of new councilors to reject the oath collectively. She has been in communication with the councilors to find a resolution to avoid a by-election which could see the councilors and mayor lose their seats.

“The requirement to swear or affirm the oaths is in the municipal act itself, but the prescribed forms are under a regulation within the act,” Crosby elaborated. “Changes to legislation take a long time, but altering a regulation can be done much quicker.”

This collective action by the councilors reflects broader criticisms faced by King Charles III and his family from Indigenous communities worldwide. Their relationship is a complex legacy of exploitation and marginalization under the British Empire. King Charles faced direct criticism in October when Senator Lidia Thorpe, an advocate for Indigenous rights, accused him of genocide during a visit to Australia, highlighting the enduring resentment in former British colonies.

Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, a poll by the Angus Reid Institute indicated that 52% of Canadians opposed recognizing Charles as the head of state. Earlier this year, a bill proposed in Canada's national Parliament to make the oath to the monarch optional failed to pass, garnering a vote of 197-113 against it.