This is Standard Operating Procedure so there are no surprises here at all. Plus, you know, Louise Arbour is from Quebec. That worries me because the focus is yet again on Quebec.,
Yep. Like applying constitutional jujitsu to block Alberta independence with tactics such as getting the 5% of the Canadian population that is “First Nation” ( if you count in the Métis) to stymie the affairs of the other 95%.
I hope you know I was being sardonic. What I actually want them to do is secede, call themselves "Real Canada", have a new constitution, and let select provinces (or pieces of provinces) join on well-considered terms. This would be much easier than fixing our current constitution and institutions.
MOU. “Hand me some paper. I’ll get a fire started to BBQ some Alberta Beef Ribs.” Sorry Jen,I’m swinging over to the separatists side. Alberta has been trying to build an oil pipeline to the East since 1955. Now the East is Pooh Pooh ing a line South of Hardisty to the US. “Colony Canada” selling our oil! No! Alberta selling its oil
It's the French thing. If the GG doesn't speak French, you're just trading one national unity problem for another. I don't know how many accomplished Albertans also speak French at a standard higher than that of Mary Simon, but I don't imagine the list is very long. It's irrational to think Carney could just ignore that requirement in order to put an Albertan in the position.
What was the biggest public criticism of Mary Simon? The French thing, far and away. Job one for Carney was to solve that. If Gurney or another can suggest a bilingual Albertan of similar public profile and professional merit as Arbour, I would support that choice wholeheartedly. I disagree with Peter Menzies that it never would have occurred to them. I just don't know of any Albertan who checks all the boxes, and French is a box. If they hadn't just gone through the Mary Simon experience, Carney might have been OK with a Western candidate who couldn't speak French but professed a willingness to learn. That option probably becomes more palatable with distance/time from Simon, but having had Simon fail on that front, I don't think he was willing to go that route again and create more national unity problems than he solved.
And to be clear, as a veteran, I think Arbour is a poor choice, one who has an axe to grind against the CAF but now will serve as their commander-in-chief. And I don't disagree with Gurney's contention that selecting an Albertan could have helped on the national unity front, everything else being equal. But you can't wave away the French thing. The GG represents the Crown in a constitutionally-bilingual nation. It's a must-have.
I can almost guarantee that if asked about this Carney and crew will insist Carney himself is an Albertan and therefore it’s a non-issue. Also agree with Peter Menzies comment
I think Arbour is a poor choice for a number of reasons, not just that she is another one from Quebec. Surely Carney could have found a fully bilingual distinguished Canadian from western Canada to fill the role. I do not agree that it had to be a woman-four of the last five have been women! There are a number of qualified people in Manitoba who I think Alberta would be okay with.Arbour will be trouble because she is not really a monarchist and she will have trouble keeping her mouth shut on controversial topics. I hope she understands her role.This appointment clearly shows Carney’s worldview — Ottawa-Montreal-Toronto elite. After all, that’s where the votes are.
Aside from the current activities in Alberta, I was thinking the next GG should have been from a coast, East or West. The reason being, New Brunswick excepted, there are the only provinces currently excluded (Michener being born in Lacombe, NWT later Alberta).
I am not surprised by the appointment of Arbour, she is prominent, well respected, and part of the self-absorption Central Canada has.
Trudeau canning the commission for Vice-Regal positions was short sighted and led to these discussions.
Also I can take or leave Arbour. She is a bit of a grandstander and has done some harm with a couple of her reports. However the other issue is that she is starting this GG project at age 79. Perhaps that’s Carney’s intention — hiring on someone a bit more aged than some other GGs and hope she will not be too activist.
Since Canada began recommending its own Governors-General in 1952, it has always alternated between an anglophone and a francophone.
Disrupting that pattern now would be an immense own-goal in regards to #2 in your three-point list of Carney's threats: the Quebec separatist movement.
Of course there could be a good reason to disrupt that pattern, but it needs to be made if you're going to wave away 75 years of Canadian history, and unfortunately it's not even addressed in this column.
Reclassified in 2006, so Gurney is in alignment with the International Astronomical Union. Not the ninth planet. (A potential planet-in-the-making because not spherical enough at this time with too much orbital debris.) I think Matt missed an opportunity to connect Pluto and Alberta with something of an analogy here (perhaps a potential country-in-the-making not independent enough yet and too much political debris. Just spit-ballin').
Never would have crossed their minds and would have been swiftly condemned in Montreal if it did.
I suspect it did cross their minds, and they were right not to do it. A fairly rare disagreement with Matt from the front lines in Alberta.
And to make my point, I would just ask Matt a follow up to his column: name a person that would have worked for Carney and Alberta and Canada.
I can’t.
Jen Gerson for GG!
This is Standard Operating Procedure so there are no surprises here at all. Plus, you know, Louise Arbour is from Quebec. That worries me because the focus is yet again on Quebec.,
Doubtful that an AB GG would have moved the needle much with aggrieved Albertans who've made feeling hard done by a core part of their identity.
Goalposts on wheels.
Alberta will be kept in Canada through procedural shenanigans, not sincere efforts at reconciliation.
And they will be taught their place.
Yep. Like applying constitutional jujitsu to block Alberta independence with tactics such as getting the 5% of the Canadian population that is “First Nation” ( if you count in the Métis) to stymie the affairs of the other 95%.
What is their place?
On their knees chanting “yes sir, boss man”
I hope you know I was being sardonic. What I actually want them to do is secede, call themselves "Real Canada", have a new constitution, and let select provinces (or pieces of provinces) join on well-considered terms. This would be much easier than fixing our current constitution and institutions.
Ontario (or at least Southern Ontario) can be a territory. We've failed at leading the country and would be better off without a vote.
MOU. “Hand me some paper. I’ll get a fire started to BBQ some Alberta Beef Ribs.” Sorry Jen,I’m swinging over to the separatists side. Alberta has been trying to build an oil pipeline to the East since 1955. Now the East is Pooh Pooh ing a line South of Hardisty to the US. “Colony Canada” selling our oil! No! Alberta selling its oil
It's the French thing. If the GG doesn't speak French, you're just trading one national unity problem for another. I don't know how many accomplished Albertans also speak French at a standard higher than that of Mary Simon, but I don't imagine the list is very long. It's irrational to think Carney could just ignore that requirement in order to put an Albertan in the position.
What was the biggest public criticism of Mary Simon? The French thing, far and away. Job one for Carney was to solve that. If Gurney or another can suggest a bilingual Albertan of similar public profile and professional merit as Arbour, I would support that choice wholeheartedly. I disagree with Peter Menzies that it never would have occurred to them. I just don't know of any Albertan who checks all the boxes, and French is a box. If they hadn't just gone through the Mary Simon experience, Carney might have been OK with a Western candidate who couldn't speak French but professed a willingness to learn. That option probably becomes more palatable with distance/time from Simon, but having had Simon fail on that front, I don't think he was willing to go that route again and create more national unity problems than he solved.
And to be clear, as a veteran, I think Arbour is a poor choice, one who has an axe to grind against the CAF but now will serve as their commander-in-chief. And I don't disagree with Gurney's contention that selecting an Albertan could have helped on the national unity front, everything else being equal. But you can't wave away the French thing. The GG represents the Crown in a constitutionally-bilingual nation. It's a must-have.
I suspect it may have crossed the minds of the PMO and was quickly dismissed as "Alberta...whining again".
Every misstep that is perceived as a slight against Alberta, whether it is done intentionally or not, adds another yes vote to the independence vote.
Alternatively, every intentional slight against Alberta is downplayed as a misstep. Either way, I agree it is building separation momentum.
I wonder if there would be interest in rural Ontario to separate from the "Golden" Horseshoe.
I can almost guarantee that if asked about this Carney and crew will insist Carney himself is an Albertan and therefore it’s a non-issue. Also agree with Peter Menzies comment
Yes indeed Carney was born in Alberta. Just like the British officer Benedict Arnold was born in America.
Get her a cowboy hat. She'll be fine.
At what point is Alberta to quit whinging?
What more has to be given?
The short answer is gifting the GG to an Albertan sends the signal that the more you play victim, the more you get. So when does it stop
How about this, the best person gets the gig regardless of origin in the country.
Quebec has done very well playing the victim card and holding the ROC to ransom with their continuous whinging for years now.
How about a hot new take. Instead of comparing victim status we get together and work cooperatively towards a better country.
This “ they got more than I did” bullshit has to stop. Thats playground behaviour Rise above
How about every Alberta premier since Lougheed, with the exception of Notley has been obstructive with the Feds, that’s not how business operates.
In My Alberta we’re not victims, though you wouldn’t know that from Smith and the upc.
In My Alberta we solve problems at scale, we’re entrepreneurial, we’re nation builders but we’re not victims
I think Arbour is a poor choice for a number of reasons, not just that she is another one from Quebec. Surely Carney could have found a fully bilingual distinguished Canadian from western Canada to fill the role. I do not agree that it had to be a woman-four of the last five have been women! There are a number of qualified people in Manitoba who I think Alberta would be okay with.Arbour will be trouble because she is not really a monarchist and she will have trouble keeping her mouth shut on controversial topics. I hope she understands her role.This appointment clearly shows Carney’s worldview — Ottawa-Montreal-Toronto elite. After all, that’s where the votes are.
Aside from the current activities in Alberta, I was thinking the next GG should have been from a coast, East or West. The reason being, New Brunswick excepted, there are the only provinces currently excluded (Michener being born in Lacombe, NWT later Alberta).
I am not surprised by the appointment of Arbour, she is prominent, well respected, and part of the self-absorption Central Canada has.
Trudeau canning the commission for Vice-Regal positions was short sighted and led to these discussions.
Which Alberta did you have in mind? Seriously.
The province?
Sorry — I left out an “n”.
Which Albertan?
I concur with your point.
Also I can take or leave Arbour. She is a bit of a grandstander and has done some harm with a couple of her reports. However the other issue is that she is starting this GG project at age 79. Perhaps that’s Carney’s intention — hiring on someone a bit more aged than some other GGs and hope she will not be too activist.
Or…?🤷🏻♂️
Ha. Sorry. I thought you were getting very meta and were about to postulate about the different Albertas within Alberta.
Since Canada began recommending its own Governors-General in 1952, it has always alternated between an anglophone and a francophone.
Disrupting that pattern now would be an immense own-goal in regards to #2 in your three-point list of Carney's threats: the Quebec separatist movement.
Of course there could be a good reason to disrupt that pattern, but it needs to be made if you're going to wave away 75 years of Canadian history, and unfortunately it's not even addressed in this column.
Matt you forgot Pluto. That’s like forgetting to include Labrador with Newfoundland.
Reclassified in 2006, so Gurney is in alignment with the International Astronomical Union. Not the ninth planet. (A potential planet-in-the-making because not spherical enough at this time with too much orbital debris.) I think Matt missed an opportunity to connect Pluto and Alberta with something of an analogy here (perhaps a potential country-in-the-making not independent enough yet and too much political debris. Just spit-ballin').