Brother Iain points out a truth related to the Dion doltosity and the rush to shout "Jack Hughes!" that also points out many things about the GOTCHA! world of both politics and internet discourse: Turner was a Brit.
Not the words one would expect to hear from a former company director on the subject of Free Trade. But despite his many years in business, John Turner's vision of Canada went beyond mere dollars and cents. He understood the risks involved in signing the Free Trade Agreement and he fought valiantly to persuade Canadians to defeat the party supporting it. And he almost won.How could we bear such a blot on the nation? What fools we were before wikiality!John Napier Turner was born in 1929 in Richmond, Surrey, just outside of London, England. His English father was a gunsmith. Turner might have grown up British had his father not died when John was only three years old. Turner's mother, Phyllis, was Canadian, and she returned to her home town of Rossland, B.C. after her husband's death. The following year, she was offered a job with the Tariff Board in Ottawa. Phyllis Turner began her distinguished career as a civil servant and her children grew up in Ottawa.
Comments
Flea - December 7, 2006 9:57 AM
The Queen of England, even parts of Surrey, and the Queen of Canada being the same person no question of dual loyalties arise. The perfidious French are another matter, being Godless and Continental and French.
Alan - December 7, 2006 10:09 AM
Not to mention, one might suggest, being in France. Hoots! I fergo-ut the Auld Alliance. How cud I ken sich a trrrrubllled thought.
Flea - December 7, 2006 10:16 AM
Ah yes, the dreaded Franco-Scots concordat. Long has it kept the English up at night (it being difficult to sleep during fits of giggling).
Mike - December 7, 2006 10:18 AM
Bonnie Prince Charlie was the love child of that alliance and look how well that turned out!
Alan - December 7, 2006 10:35 AM
I am unaware as to how focused frothing at the mouth accusatorially in broad Scots is displayed in this medium - despite the common need for such a font.
Flea - December 7, 2006 11:08 AM
Is there a plaid font I have been missing?
Alan - December 7, 2006 11:14 AM
There is one we are all missing.
Flea - December 7, 2006 11:40 AM
[plaid]Testing<span style="text-decoration:blink">...</span> testing[/plaid]
Alan - December 7, 2006 12:33 PM
Via Darcey, a useful list of current MPs born outside of Canada. Apparently we are led by traitors. I see strangers!
Flea - December 7, 2006 12:46 PM
Thanks for intervening in my failed plaid experiment.
Flea - December 7, 2006 12:48 PM
It looks as though I voted for a foreigner in the last federal election!
Alan - December 7, 2006 1:22 PM
I wish we could stick with <i>AUSLANDER!!!</i> when referring to such people.
Brother Iain - December 7, 2006 1:45 PM
The "Queen of England" and the "Queen of Canada" may be the same person, but "Queen of England" and "Queen of Canada" are two different jobs.
This isn't just splitting hairs. Her Majesty's Canadian government and Her Majesty's British government sometimes pursue diametrically opposed policies, especially since Britain is now part of the EU. Remember the turbot war?
Divided loyalties are just as much an issue with Britain as they are with France, Spain or Burkina Faso.
British citizens who become Canadian citizens have to swear loyalty to the Queen anew as Queen of Canada. I remember a Brit-born co-worker of mine once complaining about this.
Alan - December 7, 2006 2:51 PM
Quite right and the same applies between Canada and the provinces to some degree. Cannot "The Queen in the right of Canada" sue "The Queen in the right of Ontario"?
Flea - December 7, 2006 8:09 PM
In Canada, the Queen's official title in English is: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom, Canada and Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.
Please refer to the Statute of Westminster for details.
Alan - December 7, 2006 8:31 PM
But we only swear an oath to her in the right of Canada, no? That may be her whole capacity but they are incidents of herself to which we as Canadians only relate in her right in Canada. Or maybe not. Maybe both Canada and the provinces. <p>But only if you swear that oath. As birthright Canadians we owe her no particular good faith - I actually said nothing on the two oaths I took as well, that is what you get for mob oath taking. You are not suggesting that the higher British civil servant has a oath-based relationship to the Commonwealth, are you?
Brother Iain - December 8, 2006 1:12 PM
True, the full "international" title is used in some ceremonies. But given the intent of the Statute of Westminster, and the evolution of government in the Commonwealth in the decades since, the only possible interpretation of that "long title" of the Queen is that it is a LIST of jobs, not one big job.
To become a Canadian citizen you only swear allegience to the Queen Elizabeth as "the Queen of Canada." And people who've sworn allegience to her in some other realm still have to take that oath if they wish to become Canadian.
For the record, I believe a prime minister of Canada ought to have citizenship in only one country: Canada. I also believe any Canadian who becomes leader of another country (as has happened in recent years) ought to discard his Canadian citizenship.
However, I also believe that anyone who questions Stephane Dion's loyalty to Canada, given his track record in standing up to the separatists and championing federalism in Quebec, is simply despicable.
It's a pity they've outlawed duelling.