Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has snubbed an MP's proposal to change the laws governing the royal succession.
At the moment, the first-born male child to a monarch is first in line for the Crown – even if they have older sisters – but Leicester East MP Mr Vaz has said he wants to change the rules.
He has already introduced a draft law to Parliament which would see both male and female children given equal rights to the Crown.
As a result, the Government is now consulting on the idea with those Commonwealth countries which still have the Queen as head of state.
However, the Prime Minister of Canada paid short shrift to Mr Vaz's plan.
Mr Harper told the Vancouver Sun he believed Mr Vaz's proposal should not even be up for discussion yet as the next two people in line for the throne – Prince Charles and Prince William – were both men.
He said: "The successor to the throne is a man.
"The next successor to the throne is a man.
"I don't think Canadians want to open a debate on the monarchy or constitutional matters at this time. That's our position and I just don't see that as a priority for Canadians right now, at all."
Mr Harper's rebuff came on the same day Mr Vaz launched an international petition in Leicester calling on the people of the UK and of other Commonwealth countries, including Canada, to back changes to the succession.
Mr Vaz said: "I am very disappointed in Prime Minister Stephen Harper's response to the debate over succession. The question of whether women should have equal rights to become heir to the throne is a very important one, based on the fundamental principle of gender equality.
"Canadians must be given a chance to discuss it."
Mr Vaz's Succession Bill is set to be read for a second time in the House of Commons on May 13.
www.ipetitions.com/ petition/succession
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