Friday, October 9, 2009

Rule Brittania! Canada's Head of State?

For the first time since I moved here more than seven years ago, there is a reason for the Monarchist League of Canada to make its existence known: the Governor-General, Michaƫlle Jean, made news referring to herself as the Head of State. This caused much umbrage, as the Monarchist League got into a snit and reminded everyone that Queen Elizabeth is still the Queen of Canada. And yesterday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper jumped into the fray, and supported the ML's position.

I find it incredibly amusing that there are Monarchists left in Canada--just like in the game of Junta! And Harper's recognition, despite some past moves by the King at the time to give authorities to the G-G, solidifies one of the key wrinkles in my current project--that the Queen is technically the commander-in-chief of the Canadian Forces with her agent, the Governor-General, filling that role.

I look forward to watch the continuing fireworks on an entirely symbolic issue, as neither the Queen or the G-G have used their "authority" anytime lately.

The next question, of course, is whether there are any Royalists, perhaps in Kingston, still pining for a British-ruled America.

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