Tuesday, October 16, 2007

First thoughts from the Throne Speech

#1. Just what the doctor ordered.

#2. Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean, you did a great job! Now I understand why the GG needs to be someone with a good speaking voice and an ability to read flawlessly in both official languages. My humble apologies for ever doubting you.

* * * *
Great analysis at CBL.

Andrew Coyne talking to CBC's Peter Mansbridge - This throne speech is 'bulletproof'.

18 comments:

David Wozney said...

Re: “Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean, ...

The Governor General of Canada is a “corporation sole”, according to Elizabeth II in this document. A “corporation sole” is defined and recognized as being a corporation.

It is a fiction that a corporation is a person.

“A corporation is a fiction, by definition, ...”, according to Patrick Healy in a statement found in evidence provided to Parliament's Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights in 2002.

“A corporation is a ‘fiction’ as it has no separate existence, no physical body and no ‘mind’”, according to Joanne Klineberg in a presentation to the Canadian Aviation Safety Seminar in 2004.

Do Canadians want businesses, companies, their government, and their Queen to operate in the realm of reality, or in the realm of fiction?

Joanne (True Blue) said...

So I take it you're not a big fan.

valiantmauz said...

If you're going to have a figurehead, it's as well to have one as lovely as Michaëlle Jean.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

If you're going to have a figurehead, it's as well to have one as lovely as Michaëlle Jean.

Absolutely. I think she does us all proud.

Burton, Formerly Kingston said...

I think the speech is just what I predicted Mr.Harper would do( pats self on back LOL). Right down the middle, How the LPC can even pretend to talk about voting it down is beyond me. If Mr.Dion doesn't send Mr. Harper a Xmas card for saving his butt on this one, he is totally an ungrateful person

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Kingston - I sure didn't see a poison pill in there anywhere. And yet, Jack Layton says that 'this government is going in the wrong direction', yadda yadda yadda...

It's so much political posturing. They were against it before they even heard it. Duceppe too. So now Dion needs to make a tough decision. And there is nothing in this throne speech that is so abhorrent that it warrants an election, so Dion will have to eat humble pie in some manner.

Burton, Formerly Kingston said...

I totally agree Joanne. I also know that if I was Mr.Harper I would of not been that nice. I would have made him really bend over figuratively to get away this easy. It was to expected from the Bloq and NDP because for them to say they would support it would of been earth shattering.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

I also know that if I was Mr.Harper I would of not been that nice.

It's brilliant, really. He lays out his objectives, but they seem fairly moderate. How could the opposition bring down the government over this? They'd have to answer to the people, who are frankly, election weary right now in many provinces.

I'll examine the whole thing more carefully tomorrow, but it looks to me like no fall election.

Brian in Calgary said...

Absolutely. I think she does us all proud.

I agree, Joanne, though perhaps we should be careful not to be too effusive (difficult, I know, because she has turned out to be unexpectedly great at her job) in our praise of our GG. Otherwise, our friendly neighbourhood Liberals will remind us that the Queen appointed her on the recommendation of a Liberal government. But, I'm willing to take that chance.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

our friendly neighbourhood Liberals will remind us that the Queen appointed her on the recommendation of a Liberal government.

Yes, I believe it was actually Paul Martin's wife or assistant who recommended her. There was a lot of scandal regarding her husband's separatist background, but it's all turned out for the best. One of Paul Martin's few good accomplishments.

Matt said...

Here's my review, Joanne. It should make you chuckle but also contains some good news too on the sleeping front!

Paul MacPhail said...

Hmmm. It seems to me like 99.999% of the people believe that this Throne Speech is bulletproof. With opinion that high, I can only believe now that Dion will topple this within the week.

Matt said...

Bob Fife was on MDL for the pre-show (I was awake for that part!) and he said he's heard from several sources that some Liberals spent most of today talking Steffi out of voting against the speech. Apparently the little guy thinks he can win an election.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

I can only believe now that Dion will topple this within the week.

lol!!! That was hilarious. Then I read Matt's next comment.

some Liberals spent most of today talking Steffi out of voting against the speech. Apparently the little guy thinks he can win an election.

Mmmm.. Well, you know there are people like Lord Omar who would take Steffi over Harper any day. Omar's from the east coast, where he assures me that they hate Harper. Maybe not such a done deal.

Matt, I'll check out your review. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Two things have become quite clear in my mind this week:

1. The Conservatives have now made the transition to a party that knows how to govern.

2. They are currently the only federal party in that position.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to have to disagree about the GG's performance. She slouched, stumbled and stuttered her way through the speech. I had a difficult time following her. Perhaps we're being dazzled by a pretty face?

Joanne (True Blue) said...

She slouched, stumbled and stuttered her way through the speech. .

I saw a bit of that, but it was a long speech. She didn't even stop for water. I would have had trouble reading that long live in front of the nation. Also, it seems to me that she has had some health issues. Thyroid, if I'm not mistaken.

David Wozney said...

Is your faith such that you believe a corporation is real? Who would be a defender of faith like that?