Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has raised his voice against the abolition of the monarchy in his country. Trudeau told BBC Radio 4 on Monday that the parliamentary monarchy system offers “extraordinary stability”. You have an extraordinary governor-general who embodies the best Canadians, and you have a crown of what is happening, sometimes supervised from a comfortable distance. Trudeau said at the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London that the system is well balanced and serves Canadians very well.

The British monarch is also the head of state of Canada, which was once part of the United Kingdom. In a recent survey, nearly half of residents said they want to change the form of government.

Trudeau said he first met the Queen 40 years ago, when her father, Pierre, was prime minister. He will miss her so much, he is still processing it. It was strange being in London but not being able to meet the Queen. The prime minister said his relationship with the Queen was “extraordinary”. He was able to update her on what was happening in Canada, but also have real, deep, thoughtful conversations about global issues.