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I'm not convinced the Queen is doing much oppressing these days...

No, you're right, but I think branchless' comment was referring to the Queen in the context of her role, not the person herself. Her role is that of, among others, a high-profile figurehead for the upper class. And the prominence and cultural importance of the role is certainly a factor in the oppression.

The UK is plenty oppressed. We still have all the same problems with economic rent extracted via land ownership.

Every country - republics included - has that problem.

Although the reason that a relatively high proportion of resource extraction revenues in Canada are redirected to public welfare is, perhaps ironically, because the vast majority of Canada's territory is classed as Crown Land...

Which is as it should be - that land belongs to all Canadians.

In the UK Queenie gets 15% of crown land to spend on the their lavish lives. I wonder how much rent she takes out of Canadian schools and hospitals. Any idea? Google failed me.

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