More made-in-Canada mirconationalism: the Republic of Rathnelly

The main street of the Republic of Rathnelly, circa 1967.

Patria's Ministry of External Affairs has for many years recognized the Republic of Rathnelly, a made-in-Canada micronation that dates from the summer of 1967, when about 400 residents of Rathnelly Avenue in midtown Toronto, and several nearby streets, decided to secede from Canada.

On June 12, 1967 the Toronto Star reported the front-page news:

“[Rathnelly] seceded in a bloodless, post-breakfast coup and seized control of the five blocks west of Avenue Rd. and north of the Davenport Rd. tracks”.

A small army—the Republic of Rathnelly Irregulars, which was made up of uniformed kids— claimed a nearby park and renamed it Freedom Square. A space rocket fleet made out of cardboard was assembled on one of the front lawns, and barricades went up at the end of the street, closing it to traffic.

The street festival-cum-declaration of independence even received a visit from Mayor William Dennison and Metro Controller Margaret Campbell, and the two governments officially entered into talks.

“As tankards of Rathnellian mead—the republic’s only liquid assets—were handed round, statesman met statesman in an attempt to hammer out a treaty,” wrote the Star. In the end, the two sides reached an agreement, and the Republic of Rathnelly peacefully rejoined the city and country at midnight.

Apart from the obvious micronational fun, including correspondence with then-Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, the Republic of Rathnelly served a useful purpose in uniting the neighborhood. By forming a little country, the Rathnelly Area Residents’ Association brought neighbors together and attracted attention to local issues such as the city of Toronto's plans (ultimately scrapped) to build an expressway that would have cut through the Republic.

In 2011 the city of Toronto, while not officially recognizing the Republic of Rathnelly, erected street signs bearing the Republic's coat of arms.