Yesterday marked the official celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's 80th birthday. a ceremony was held in London that included a mass at St. Paul's Cathedral followed by a formal luncheon where the Queen made a speech.
The event was attended by dignitaries from around the world including the governors general from other commonwealth countries. But Michaëlle Jean, the Governor General of Canada, deigned not to be present. She was, to use the language of the common masses, too busy to make it.
Jean decided to stay in Canada and come to Toronto where she visited an immigrant settlement centre and the opening of Toronto's new opera house. and, in what can only be described as a grandiose display of self-indulgence she chose to go to Lawrence Heights Middle School where the students put on a play about her life; something obviously more important than attending one of Her Majesty's official functions. The play, entitled an ode to Madame G.G., traced Jean's life from the time that she arrived in Canada as an 11-year-old refugee from Haiti until her appointment as Governor General of Canada.
Michaëlle Jean's absence left Canada to be represented by a relatively low level official. The position of Canadian high commissioner in London is currently vacant and Canada was represented at the event by the acting high commissioner to Britain.
It would have been one thing if Jean had missed the formal ceremony because she had "an" excuse. But her media flack was coming out with excuses why she was unable to attend quicker than Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty can come out with broken campaign promises.
She didn't get enough notice — Michaëlle Jean is the Queen's representative in Canada; Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is not simply another "event" for the Governor-General to fit into her busy schedule. It is almost as if Jean thought that the Queen should have consulted her before deciding to hold the event. For Jean to simply say, oops, I have a previous commitment, is insulting not only to the Queen but to all Canadians. and as the National Post pointed out in an editorial, she wasn't too busy to attend inauguration ceremonies in Chile and her native Haiti.
Jean already celebrated the Queen's birthday — Michaëlle Jean apparently celebrated the Queen's birthday on Her Majesty's real birthday — april 21. Someone should tell Jean that attendance in London is about showing respect to the Queen and to Canadians — it's not about "her" and what she did or didn't do on the 21st of april.
The students would have been disappointed — Well, no doubt they would have; the play could have changed to another date but, given the lateness in the school year, even if it couldn't have been rescheduled, the students might have learned something. They could have learned a lesson about the proper role of the governor general in Canada, about the role of the Queen in Canadian society; the importance carrying out a job properly and more importantly about respect for Canada and its institutions.
Jean's actions concerning her refusal to appear in London representing Canada confirms what many Canadians thought when she was first appointed to office. Paul Martin appointed the black woman Haitian refugee to the position of Governor General so he could say, "Hey, look at me — I appointed a black woman Haitian refugee". If Michaëlle Jean has any other qualifications for the job, she is managing quite nicely to keep them hidden.
after her appointment was first announced, the Quebec-raised CBC journalist spent a lot of time disputing allegations that she had separatist sympathies. Whether or not those allegations are true, she put a lot of happy smiles on the faces of Quebec separatists when she snubbed the Queen this week.
Former Governor General adrienne Clarkson created a small controversy when she stated that as Governor General, she was "above politics". Well, if Clarkson is above politics, Michaëlle Jean has shown that she is "below politics". and in this day and age, that says a lot.
Michaëlle Jean is a disgrace both to the office that she holds and to the Canadian people that represents. The sooner she goes the better.
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