Yesterday, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., F.R.S.C., the Governor General of Canada, released a message to Canadians for the New Year. His Excellency (the representative of Her Majesty the Queen of Canada since the start of October this year) focused on recognising the courage of members of the Canadian Forces, and the civilian support structure that backs them up, serving in the Islamic Republic of Afhganistan.
In the three months since the Governor General was appointed by the Queen, on the advice of The Right Honourable Stephen Harper P.C., M.P. (Calgary Southwest), the Prime Minister, His Excellency has taken the vice-regal role of Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada very seriously, and it's wonderful to see this trend continuing into the new year. Canadian governors general have held that post since the Letters Patent, 1947, issued by His Majesty George VI, vested it in the monarch's representative. (Though the functions and title are delegated to the Governor General, the authority of the Commander-in-Chief itself remains vested in the head of State, the Queen.)
I invite members to view His Excellency's message:
YouTube - 2011 New Year's Message / Message du Nouvel An 2011 (anglais)
I certainly join the Governor General in recognising how courageous the individual members of the Canadian Forces must be, to do what they do, notwithstanding whether I might be in favour of, or opposed to, our armed intervention in Afghanistan. I think it's interesting that His Excellency also heralded the civilian support that the Canadian Forces receive; these people, while they may not perform front-line roles as do our Canadian Forces personnel, nonetheless serve a vital function in the defence of Canada, through facilitating the work that the Canadian Forces must perform. The Governor General's comment raises the question, though, of whether Government House and the Prime Minister's Office might disagree over the matter of cutting down support positions (see Source #2)?
Sources
In the three months since the Governor General was appointed by the Queen, on the advice of The Right Honourable Stephen Harper P.C., M.P. (Calgary Southwest), the Prime Minister, His Excellency has taken the vice-regal role of Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada very seriously, and it's wonderful to see this trend continuing into the new year. Canadian governors general have held that post since the Letters Patent, 1947, issued by His Majesty George VI, vested it in the monarch's representative. (Though the functions and title are delegated to the Governor General, the authority of the Commander-in-Chief itself remains vested in the head of State, the Queen.)
I invite members to view His Excellency's message:
YouTube - 2011 New Year's Message / Message du Nouvel An 2011 (anglais)
I certainly join the Governor General in recognising how courageous the individual members of the Canadian Forces must be, to do what they do, notwithstanding whether I might be in favour of, or opposed to, our armed intervention in Afghanistan. I think it's interesting that His Excellency also heralded the civilian support that the Canadian Forces receive; these people, while they may not perform front-line roles as do our Canadian Forces personnel, nonetheless serve a vital function in the defence of Canada, through facilitating the work that the Canadian Forces must perform. The Governor General's comment raises the question, though, of whether Government House and the Prime Minister's Office might disagree over the matter of cutting down support positions (see Source #2)?
Sources
- Office of the Secretary to the Governor General: homepage / New Year Message
- The Globe and Mail: homepage / Military sets out to trim all but essential civilian staff