#1Oct 9th, 2009
Governor General’s new website adds fuel to head-of-state debate
Fire the Governor General -
Free Thinker
Governor General’s new website adds fuel to head-of-state debate
No Party Affiliation
#2
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 9th, 2009
In the absence of the Queen, the Governor General is the head of state. I see no problem here.
Free Thinker
#3
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 9th, 2009Quote: Originally Posted by #juan
Better take a civics lesson.In the absence of the Queen, the Governor General is the head of state. I see no problem here.
No Party Affiliation
#4
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 9th, 2009
Storm in a teacup. The Queen is in theory the Head of State, but in practice the duties of the Head of State are performed by the Governor-General and the Lieutenant Governors. The actual legal status of all these positions and people is more than a little fuzzy. Read -- it's an official document from a standing committee of the 37th Parliament. Note in particular that if you scroll down a bit to point #2 you'll find this: "As Head of State, the Governor General [emphasis mine] is responsible for representing Canada both in and outside the country." You might also usefully read this.
#5
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 9th, 2009Quote: Originally Posted by Dexter Sinister
Never let facts get in the way of a good anti-monarchist rant.Storm in a teacup. The Queen is in theory the Head of State, but in practice the duties of the Head of State are performed by the Governor-General and the Lieutenant Governors. The actual legal status of all these positions and people is more than a little fuzzy. Read -- it's an official document from a standing committee of the 37th Parliament. Note in particular that if you scroll down a bit to point #2 you'll find this: "As Head of State, the Governor General [emphasis mine] is responsible for representing Canada both in and outside the country." You might also usefully read this.
#7
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 9th, 2009Quote: Originally Posted by Goober
Fire the Governor General -The Govt has the ability to have the GG removed - She believes she is the head of State - The Queen is - yet she continues on in this battle or fantasy or reach for power. Time to go.
Governor General’s new website adds fuel to head-of-state debate
agreed
Free Thinker
#8
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 9th, 2009
What??? Gerry is speachless! I was here to see it!
who loves ya, Ger?
who loves ya, Ger?Liberal
#9
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 9th, 2009
Someone posted, elsewhere on the Internet, the same report by the House of Commons — it should be noted, however, that the Commons does not have the authority to decide that the title of head of State has been transferred to anyone other than Her Majesty The Queen of Canada. The report seems to have obviously made a technical error in nomenclature, and it should not lead Canadians to think that The Queen has ceased to be the constitutional head of State — I need only read s. 7 of the Constitution Act, 1867 to know that executive power is vested solely and exclusively in Her Majesty.
On that note, I think that it’s somewhat premature to urge for the replacement of Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., the Governor General of Canada. I think that it was a misunderstanding of the workings of constitutional monarchy, and not a conscious attempt to usurp the authority of The Queen as head of State. I do think, however, that Ms. Sheila-Marie Cooke, Secretary to the Governor General, should be dismissed at once; Ms. Cooke led the revamp of the Governor General’s Web site (and its several references to the viceroy as ‘head of State’), and the Secretary also would have been responsible for the oversight of any other Government House workers (i.e., speechwriters). However, Her Excellency needs to address Canadians as soon as possible to re-assert The Queen’s position as head of State.
Government House absolutely must take action to raise the Governor General above this controversy.
On that note, I think that it’s somewhat premature to urge for the replacement of Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., the Governor General of Canada. I think that it was a misunderstanding of the workings of constitutional monarchy, and not a conscious attempt to usurp the authority of The Queen as head of State. I do think, however, that Ms. Sheila-Marie Cooke, Secretary to the Governor General, should be dismissed at once; Ms. Cooke led the revamp of the Governor General’s Web site (and its several references to the viceroy as ‘head of State’), and the Secretary also would have been responsible for the oversight of any other Government House workers (i.e., speechwriters). However, Her Excellency needs to address Canadians as soon as possible to re-assert The Queen’s position as head of State.
Government House absolutely must take action to raise the Governor General above this controversy.
#10
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 9th, 2009
wow Another mountain from a molehill. Someone must have been bored.
No Party Affiliation
#11
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 9th, 2009
Yes Anna, I think that about covers it.
Liberal
#12
Web Site of the OSGG
Oct 10th, 2009
Probably a DNS or other such Interweb issue, but I don’t seem to be able to access the Web site of the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General at the moment. I have access to other Canadian government domains, though. How odd? Can anyone access --? (I have a shred of hope that the Ms. Sheila-Marie Cooke, the Secretary to the Governor General, has made the proper decision to take down the Web site to make corrections to save face for the ‘head of State’ issue of recent days.)
(--)
(--)
#13
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 10th, 2009
The Queen is Canada's head of state. When absent from Canada, the GG fills that position temporarily. Both statements are true or false depending on whether the Queen is present in Canada or not.
Free Thinker
#14
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 10th, 2009
Who cares? How does any of this affect your life personally?
Free Thinker
#16
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 10th, 2009Quote: Originally Posted by earth_as_one
It was a rhetorical question aimed at nobody in particular.Its a question of knowledge vs ignorance.
Free Thinker
#17
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 10th, 2009Quote: Originally Posted by Cliffy
For me, the question really boils down to "Do you still consider Canada a colonial appendix of a dead empire?" (Pun intended!) If your answer's "Yes," then for you, Queenie Two is your head of state! However, for the few times big blue bloods blew by Aether Island, neither my wife nor I took out the tea cosy or dusted off the coronation bric-à-brac from the Fifties!It was a rhetorical question aimed at nobody in particular.
#18
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 10th, 2009Quote: Originally Posted by Goober
I am with you on this Goober. People fill "acting" positions in "jobs" all the time. They get acting pay for the position. They don't get the title. In Corrections BC for example, when the Warden goes on extended leave or is just away for a couple of days, the Deputy Warden does not take on the title of Warden. In the RCMP when an Inspector goes AWOL, the Staff Sergeant who replaces him is still nothing more than the Staff Sergeant. The GG is simply the GG. She is not the H of S nor is she really the acting H of S. Fire the Governor General -The Govt has the ability to have the GG removed - She believes she is the head of State - The Queen is - yet she continues on in this battle or fantasy or reach for power. Time to go.
Governor General’s new website adds fuel to head-of-state debate
There is actually more to her comments when you read that article. She says this:
"I, a francophone from the Americas, born in Haiti, who carries in her the history of the slave trade and the emancipation of blacks, at once Quebecoise and Canadian, and today before you, Canada's head of state, proudly represents the promises and possibilities of that ideal of society," she said.
She states she is a french speaking person from the Americas, born in Haiti. Then she goes on to separate Quebec from the rest of Canada in her statement by saying that she is both from Quebec and Canada along with calling herself Canada's Head of State. I thought she was "a Canadian who carries in her the history of the slave trade and emancipation of blacks". Her statement should have said nothing more. Canada is a bi-lingual country. There was no need for her to stress that she is a french speaking person and no need for her to state she is from the Americas. She is from Canada. She should be proud enough of her country to call it that - Canada! She should also be humble enough to say that she is the G.G., here to represent Canada's Head of State, Queen Elizabeth 2nd.
#19
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 10th, 2009Quote: Originally Posted by earth_as_one
Maybe so, but some Parliamentary Committees refer to the GG as head of state.The Queen is Canada's head of state. When absent from Canada, the GG fills that position temporarily. Both statements are true or false depending on whether the Queen is present in Canada or not.
And one would think that Parliamentary Committees have some idea what they are saying.
Free Thinker
#20
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 10th, 2009
In the case of nostalgic monarchists, does absinthe make the heart grow fonder?
No Party Affiliation
#21
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 10th, 2009Quote:
I thought the above paragraph was brilliant. In a short paragraph she has given us her background, some of her history, and tells us she's proud of Canada and her position in the countryquoting the GG
"I, a francophone from the Americas, born in Haiti, who carries in her the history of the slave trade and the emancipation of blacks, at once Quebecoise and Canadian, and today before you, Canada's head of state, proudly represents the promises and possibilities of that ideal of society,"
Conservative
#22
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 10th, 2009
Better, still, fire the Queen and any and all of her brood in the present and in the future.
Then the GG will not even be an issue.
Then the GG will not even be an issue.
Last edited by YukonJack; Oct 10th, 2009 at 01:29 PM..
Free Thinker
#23
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 10th, 2009
My dad was a monarchist. I never understood why. I'm with Spade on this one.
"Do you still consider Canada a colonial appendix of a dead empire?"
Absolutely not!
"Do you still consider Canada a colonial appendix of a dead empire?"
Absolutely not!
Free Thinker
#24
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 10th, 2009Quote: Originally Posted by #juan
Excellent quote! She represents us more than...I thought the above paragraph was brilliant. In a short paragraph she has given us her background, some of her history, and tells us she's proud of Canada and her position in the country
Liberal
#26
Re: Governor General of Canada
Oct 10th, 2009
There is no question as to whether The Queen of Canada is the head of State — absolutely no question. Per s. 7 of the Constitution Act, 1867, executive power over Canada is vested exclusively in The Queen. That section of the constitution has never been amended or repealed, nor has any member of the Honourable the Senate or Commons ever even mused about any such amendments. It is easy enough to say that the Governor General is the de facto head of State, but the de jure head of State is The Queen. Anyway who has honestly convinced themselves that we are no longer a constitutional monarchy is quite clearly delusional.
There are arguments that because the Governor General exercises most of The Queen’s functions, that it is appropriate for Her Excellency to be termed the ‘head of State’. Though I respect these arguments, and they may be sound enough for private citizens, I feel that the Governor General has a role to play in ensuring that Canadians are knowledgeable about our system of constitutional government, and the role that The Queen plays (the Governor General is, of course, the representative of The Queen foremost).
Constitutional monarchy provides for Canada the most stable system possible; The Queen is the most non-partisan, and above politics head of State that any nation could hope to have, because Her Majesty hasn’t endured personal elections, and because Her Majesty doesn’t account to the prime minister. The very fact that constitutional executive power is reposed in the monarch, and exercised by the Governor General, tends to be enough to stop abuses of power by governments.
Her Majesty’s Government for Canada has stated, despite these controversies over the ‘head of State’ nomenclature, that the Government remains supportive of Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., the Governor General of Canada, and the Governor General’s program. Let us hope that the Web site is corrected post-haste, so that Canadians can be back to the comfortable practice of appreciating the Governor General’s work and the advantages of constitutional monarchy without distraction.
God save The Queen!
There are arguments that because the Governor General exercises most of The Queen’s functions, that it is appropriate for Her Excellency to be termed the ‘head of State’. Though I respect these arguments, and they may be sound enough for private citizens, I feel that the Governor General has a role to play in ensuring that Canadians are knowledgeable about our system of constitutional government, and the role that The Queen plays (the Governor General is, of course, the representative of The Queen foremost).
Constitutional monarchy provides for Canada the most stable system possible; The Queen is the most non-partisan, and above politics head of State that any nation could hope to have, because Her Majesty hasn’t endured personal elections, and because Her Majesty doesn’t account to the prime minister. The very fact that constitutional executive power is reposed in the monarch, and exercised by the Governor General, tends to be enough to stop abuses of power by governments.
Her Majesty’s Government for Canada has stated, despite these controversies over the ‘head of State’ nomenclature, that the Government remains supportive of Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., the Governor General of Canada, and the Governor General’s program. Let us hope that the Web site is corrected post-haste, so that Canadians can be back to the comfortable practice of appreciating the Governor General’s work and the advantages of constitutional monarchy without distraction.
God save The Queen!
Free Thinker
#28
Re: Fire the Governor General -
Oct 10th, 2009
"The queen is a lizard and eats little children."
Do we want to be associated with this monster?
Do we want to be associated with this monster?
Liberal
#29
Re: “Is Canada a Democracy?”
Oct 10th, 2009Quote: Originally Posted by Spade
That’s not even a reasonable question.Is Canada a democracy or monarchy?
Of course, Canada is a representative parliamentary democracy — Her Majesty’s Government for Canada is responsible and accountable to our elected representatives of the House of Commons. Our elected representatives debate and approve the Government’s expenses; they pass, amend of defeat the Government’s program and agenda; they move and debate legislation outside of the Government’s agenda as the needs of the day dictate. They are responsive, and responsible, to Canadians.
Liberal
#30
Re: Cliffy’s Irresponsible Comment
Oct 10th, 2009Quote: Originally Posted by Cliffy
That was just extremely poor taste.Do we want to be associated with this monster?
Her Majesty The Queen has done much to further the cause of good for the sixteen Realms of the Commonwealth of Nations (and Her Majesty is head of State of each of these sixteen constitutional monarchies). The comment is irresponsible, and sensationally immature. (A comment such as that would have a member of the House of Commons named by the Speaker, and thrown out.)
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