They did, not as a republic, but as a federation. In 1939 Canada declared war on Germany three days following Britain and, in doing so, affirmed their status as sovereign:

"Today it is firmly established as a basic constitutional principle that, so far as relates to Canada, the King is regulated by Canadian law and must act only on the advice and responsibility of Canadian ministers".

The Canada Act of 1982 further defines Canada as simply, "Canada," though the use of the word, "dominion," had been variously used and unused since the 1860s.