GG Blah Blah
Questioning Guru: What country has a tizzy crisis over the rumoured past of the nominee for a powerless office of little consequence?
Answering Student: I know, I know. The one Stompin' Tom sings about?
Questioning Guru: That's right, little hypothetical answering student: the one that Stompin' Tom sings about.
Now, just in case any of you missed it over the years, I do not care about the royals, the Senate or the Governor General. I only that wish them removed from the payroll and all state functions...so its not like I am really hot under the collar about this. Still, it is annoying when the yapping classes in the news and on the internet go all biscuit-in-the-oven over whether or not
the pick for national office #1(b) really really really likes Canada or just really really likes Canada. The only - and I mean only - sensible thing written in all of this was written by the
great man himself over at
Babbling Brooks speaking to an absurd proposal that only Canadian uni-nationals can be GG:
And speaking of me, I come to my second small point which is that your regulation would bar me from the job. The very thought! I shall not give up my plans for a sinecure and view of the Ottawa River so easily....And as for being drunk with the power Vice-Regal, your tune will change when my flying-monkeys man the open bar at Rideau Hall! Then shall the blogosphere reign triumphant.
I will guard the flying-monkeys' golden ice buckets on that good day but until that time should come, enough. It is a nothing but nice position and our Ms. "GG to be" is a very nice person.
Comments
SayNay? - August 19, 2005 10:42 AM
This post (which I seemed to miss before for some reason) just confirms that the GG post has sunk to a new level of contempt in many people's minds. It is one thing to be indifferent, it is another to be contemptuous.
Maybe that was Martin's plan - to appoint an irrelevant person, to what should be viewed by every Canadian as an irrelevant position. One can't read the report of his directions to his aide Ms. Scherrer about Jean, without feeling the "imperial" nature of the PM's appointment of her. Scherrer apparently mentioned Jean's name in a bear pit discussion. "I think he watches Radio-Canada and saw her on TV" Scherrer said and goes on to say "Once he was in love with the name, he was in love with the woman". Scherrer initially didn't think he could possibley be serious.
If it was merely a ceremonial position, with no serious salary or budget (ie no $35 million if I recall correctly) and no "perks" (ie. no free travel to France on "cultural exchange issues", as we are likely to see) or pension for life (with survivor benefits), would Jean be taking the job?
It is a symbolic position that has order of precedence in all state functions and the person filling the position should be loyal to Canada, without controversy and beyond reproach.
Shouldn't there be some minimum standard, like at the very least being a Member of the Order of Canada (ie. "they desire a better country" -which includes Quebec), before consideration? (it's rather ironic that her husband will now be a Member by virtue of being the GG's husband).
Alan - August 19, 2005 10:57 AM
I do not care if someone was a separatist (which the person in question was not if anyone cared to notice) as it appears most members of the opposition are also western separatists and otherwise disloyalists in the making. Freedom of political belief should mean freedom. Free from state implications. Separation is a legitimate and minority position. Holding that belief or having friends who held that belief as is the case here is a non-issue.<p>Foythermoy...the office should not be dented by people holding it who have exercised their belief. The importance of the GG-ship should also not be based on the benefits to the office holder. Its importance should be based on what <i>the office</i> does for the community of Canada and as far as I can tell it is all the trappings - far more than any political belief of the holder - that actually detracts from any useful community function by overwhelming the good with the glint.