A royal anniversary
Rave reviews for Kate
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (L), and Britain's Prince Charles visit the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo March 20, 2012.
Credits: REUTERS/LISE ASERUD
OTTAWA - Monarchists will be cheering Charles and Camilla this month during the royal couple's upcoming trek across Canada.
But New Democrats are snubbing the Diamond Jubilee visit as another example of the Conservative government's royal tastes.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will take part in a four-city, three-province tour May 20-23 to mark the Queen's 60 years on the throne.
Members of the Royal Family have been fanning out across the Commonwealth to mark the occasion, but NDP MP Andrew Cash calls the event in Canada "a bit rich" during a time of belt-tightening.
"The symbolism is a concern and the timing is terrible," he said.
Heritage Minister James Moore announced the couple's itinerary Monday, noting the last time a reigning British monarch celebrated a Diamond Jubilee was Queen Victoria in 1897.
Still, Canadians have busted out the bunting for the royals every year since 2009 and Moore is selling this tour as a bargain at less than $1 million.
Taxpayers spent $1.76 million in 2009 to bring Charles and Camilla, $2.79 million in 2010 for the Queen, and $1.2 million in 2011 to host Will and Kate, according to Moore's figures.
The costs don't include security.
"These are always done within existing budgets," Moore said. "And they are always done as fiscally responsibly as possible."
The royal couple's visit includes a stop at CFB Gagetown in New Brunswick and a Victoria Day celebration in Saint John, N.B.
From there it's on to Toronto for an evening fireworks display and a tour of Queen's Park, the provincial legislature.
Then they head to Regina, Sask., to visit the First Nations University and attend a performance by the Regina Symphony Orchestra.
Despite the pomp, the heir to the throne and his wife aren't expected to draw the same adoring crowds as Will and Kate during their honeymoon trip last year.
This will be Prince Charles' 16th visit to Canada and Camilla's second.
"So there isn't the same novelty," Queen's University royal expert Carolyn Harris said.
On Monday, Former prime minister Jean Chretien was appointed Canada's representative to the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust.
The trust, established this year, will raise funds to support charitable initiatives supporting education and culture, and combating curable diseases in Commonwealth countries.
