▁wish ing ▁for ▁speed ▁so ▁as ▁to ▁avoid ▁embar rass ing ▁debate ▁in ▁Domin ion ▁parliament s , ▁suggested ▁that ▁the ▁govern ments ▁of ▁the ▁Domin ions ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Commonwealth — then ▁Australia , ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁the ▁Irish ▁Free ▁State , ▁the ▁Union ▁of ▁South ▁Africa , ▁and ▁Canada — reg ard ▁who ever ▁was ▁monarch ▁of ▁the ▁UK ▁to ▁automatically ▁be ▁monarch ▁of ▁their ▁respective ▁Domin ion . ▁As ▁with ▁the ▁other ▁Domin ion ▁govern ments , ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Cab inet , ▁head ed ▁by ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁William ▁Lyon ▁Mack en zie ▁King , ▁refused ▁to ▁accept ▁the ▁idea ▁and ▁str essed ▁that ▁the ▁laws ▁of ▁succession ▁were ▁part ▁of ▁Canadian ▁law ▁and ▁thus ▁alter ing ▁them ▁required ▁Canada ' s ▁request ▁and ▁consent ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁legisl ation ▁( H is ▁Majesty ' s ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Abd ic ation ▁Act ▁ 1 9 3 6 ) ▁becoming ▁part ▁of ▁Canadian ▁law . ▁Sir ▁Maurice ▁G w yer , ▁first ▁parliament ary ▁coun sel ▁in ▁the ▁UK , ▁reflected ▁this ▁position , ▁stating ▁the ▁Act ▁of ▁S ett lement ▁was ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁law ▁in ▁each ▁Domin ion . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁meeting ▁of ▁the ▁Special ▁J oint ▁Committee ▁on ▁the ▁Constitution ▁during ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁patri ating ▁the ▁Canadian ▁constitution ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁John ▁Mun ro ▁asked ▁then ▁Minister ▁of ▁Justice ▁Jean ▁Chr ét ien ▁about ▁the ▁" select ive ▁om issions " ▁of ▁the ▁Su cc ession ▁to ▁the ▁Th r one