One more thing...

[pyat]

As we wait to find out what fate awaits Parliament, one silver lining is that Governor General Michaëlle Jean has something useful to do, for once. Cause, you know, she's easy on the brain as well as the eyes, not to mention being our most personable and charismatic politician.

As The Globe and Mail put it in an editorial on her installation speech:

"Here is this beautiful young Canadian of Haitian birth, with a smile that makes you catch your breath, with a bemused older husband by her side, and a daughter who literally personifies our future, and you look at them and you think: Yes, this is our great achievement, this is the Canada that Canada wants to be, this is the Canada that will ultimately make way for different cultural identities."

I can't find video of her installation speech on the Youtubes, but here's something in French that sounds nice, whatever it means. :)

EDIT: She decided to suspend Parliament till January, so that the PM can try with a new budget. BOO! BOO! Down with outmoded royalist trappings! Death to the Aristos! Treason! Riot! Revolt! Anti-democracy! Everyone storm the Winter Palace and stand about on tables, waving bits of paper!

;)

Comments

[j-cat.livejournal.com]

While I'm sure the Governor General is a lovely person who probably herself never suspected she'd be in this situation, I have to say that it drives me up the wall that an unelected representative of the Queen of ENGLAND seems to be in a position to decide who is going to lead our Government.

I know I won't find a TON of support for the idea, but I'm really of the opinion that Canada needs to reform it's remaining Monarchist baggage.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Well, no, I actually agree, though I think you are overstating the case a bit. The connection to Commonwealth is pretty darn threadbare these days, and her role in this sort of parliamentary scuffle is similar to that of a Speaker or Chair in other countries.

I think the Governor General's post should continue to exist, but be reformed to what it mostly is already - Canada's goodwill ambassador at large.

That said, SOMEONE has to be around to sign or stamp things when you get in a situation like this, and it might as well be someone that generally had the support of all parties. But I could see it being re-branded as something a little more less archaic than "Vice Regent."

[j-cat.livejournal.com]

I am overstating the case a bit.

I guess I just marvel that my well rehearsed 'no we're not a monarchy the Governor General is just a figurehead with no real power to affect government' speech has suddenly dried up.

Through an exceedingly unlikely series of events, the Governor General has indeed found herself with real power to affect government.

[nottheterritory.livejournal.com]

Well you won't be lonely for long. One way or another, she's going to have to disappoint a significant fraction of the electorate in the next few days. I think it's distinctly possible that the most decisive result of her having to decide the fate of the country will be a movement by the losers (on whichever side of the spectrum they lie) to prevent it ever coming down to the CG's decision again.

[zenten.livejournal.com]

Wait, you know pyat?

My world keeps on shrinking.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

We used to date!

[zenten.livejournal.com]

Really? I've dated someone who dated his ex. Two people actually.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Well, no, not really. But he is pretty cute.

[zenten.livejournal.com]

True.

[j-cat.livejournal.com]

What, REALLY?

[zenten.livejournal.com]

Well, one of them was you -> Mandi -> John -> Queenie.

[j-cat.livejournal.com]

Right! Of course.

I can still only guess at the other one though.

[zenten.livejournal.com]

Me and Jess.

[j-cat.livejournal.com]

I'm still having trouble with the seven (two?) degrees of separation but I feel I can take your word for it.

[zenten.livejournal.com]

OK :)

How you doing, anyway?

[j-cat.livejournal.com]

I'm doing alright.

Currently (suddenly) unemployed. Armed with my naturally sunny disposition I feel well equipped to handle it though.

[zenten.livejournal.com]

Ah, good to hear that you're doing well, and good luck on being gainfully employed again.

[mrs-dm.livejournal.com]

I mean, give her a break. She really couldn't have done anything else today except agree to the prorogue (you know, a few days ago, I had never heard of the word "prorogue"). If she'd agreed to let the coalition form the government, she would have been denounced as a Separatist-sympathizing Francophone.

What will be interesting is what happens in 6-7 weeks. At that time, if the coalition tries to defeat Harper again in a non-confidence vote and he then has to go to the GG to ask for another election. For sure, she should say, "Nah ah, you had your chance".

What I want to know is, what would it take to get a federal electoral system of proportional representation? A national referendum? A change to the constitution? It seems to be the only long-term solution to this mess.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the Boo Boo stuff was intended as an ironic counterpoint to the "Gosh, we have a swell GG" part.