September 21, 1999

Rideau Hall’s Newest Resident - THE COMMENTARY

By Joseph Planta

Well I guess, they aren’t going to change their minds, and Adrienne Clarkson will be our new Governor General. Ms. Clarkson or Mme. Clarkson as it addressed her in the press release, is the perfect candidate for the vice-regal position. Not only does she reek of class, glamour, personality and political correctness, she’s also got a big profile in Canadian culture and is extremely popular. Now be forewarned, I said she’s the perfect candidate. And when I say candidate, you can add Rick Hansen’s name to that list of possibilities. (More on him in a moment.) Being a perfect candidate, does not entail being the perfect GG.

We all know that the job of Governor General has been largely ceremonial, but in times of extreme constitutional crisis, as could arise with a planned sovereignty referendum in Quebec, the Governor General will be looked upon to make a formal opinion in the name of Her Majesty, and I don’t think the former CBC broadcaster could do that. Mme. Clarkson’s appointment was also seen as politically motivated. She makes no bones about supporting the Liberals and so it’s clear again that our Prime Minister has retreated to the den of patronage.

Some of the names that were floating around to replace Romeo LeBlanc, included former Ontario premier Bob Rae, Senator Joyce Fairbain, and Rick Hansen, among others. With Mme. Clarkson’s appointment, Mr. Chretien has once again slapped the people of The West, by not selecting Senator Fairbain or Rick Hansen. Mr. Hansen would be the most ideal choice, because I think his charisma and class would restore some respect to Rideau Hall. Mr. Chretien, should he have selected a Westerner, it would have scored some major brownie points, from the Western electorate. It proves, yet again that we don’t matter in our national governance.

That miscalculation by Mr. Chretien will cost him votes in British Columbia and throughout the Praries. You see, the Liberals, especially during Mr. Trudeau’s time, calculated election wins simply by electing seats in Ontario and Quebec. That simply unfair and subjective formula, added to our Western apathy. Now with the reemergence of the Tory’s and Reform’s commitment to electing MP’s in Ontario and some in Quebec, The Liberals will indeed turn to BC, but after selecting a member of the Central Canadian elite to the Governor General position, we’ll be less inclined to go Grit. It also struck me, how Mme. Clarkson came to our country as a refugee and an immigrant. How timely with our new friends coming in on rusty boats, eh?

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