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

[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.