Posted by Ian McKechnie on October 19, 2009, 10:56 am
38.117.68.220
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/711658
Since when did Randall White become Canada's infallible, inerrant, glorious, and all-knowing expert on Canadian constitutional history and governance?
An elected Governor General would certainly not represent the Canadian nation as a whole. Electing the Governor General by means of a parliamentary vote brings the position ridiculously close to the political arena. The Governor General must not have a mandate that will carry him or her too far into politics.
"Our recent minority-government-ridden federal political history has shown that the current method of selecting the Governor General by having the prime minister of the day effectively appoint someone to the office, all by himself, has become palpably dysfunctional."
Yes. This is why the Queen of Canada should not be a rubber-stamp and the Prime Minister should only be an instrument of advice by which a few names selected, not by himself, but in serious consultation with others (as in the recent appointment of the Hon. Philip Lee).
"We ought to be exploring the more democratic selection methods for head of state in such related Westminster-style parliamentary democracies as Ireland and India."
How are these models preferable? The President of Ireland is essentially under oath to the government. India has had a few problems in the past with its presidents.
The head of state and his or her representatives don't have to be elected in order to make them credible.
God Save The Queen- From republican columnists.
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