Queen Elizabeth II and the Commonwealth

[palbert]

I see today that we (Americans) are faulted for not discussing the politics of a rather large number of members (the Canadians). The Australians (the Ozzies) might have a beef there as well. (See, Hot Topics, Topics you don't want discussed in 2012.)

To partially rectify the situation I ask the Canadians (Ozzies welcome) to discuss today's (12/31/2011) New York Times essay on the prominence which Her Majesty appears to be receiving under the Harper Government. The site:

http://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/30/harper-save-the-queen/

(I would have preferred to extensively quote the editorial but TNYT and Opinterph would have disapproved.)

So ending 2011 and beginning 2012, your Canadian government thread.

Frankly, I totally approve of Her Majesty. Wish She were here.

 

[rareboy]

Hullllooooooooooooooo!!!

Mey Husband and we are soooooooooo delighted that the royal fart catchers in the Harper Government think that their noses will shine brighter for having them firmly ensconced in our Royal fundaments.

We recognize that for a government with Royal aspirations of its own, The light reflected off our crowns and coronets must be dazzling for closet queens like Johanna Baird.

srsly.

HRH

Bette Battenburg

 

[White Eagle]

Interesting article. We need to know more about Canada.
Any chance that Quebec will become a separate nation?

 

[kallipolis]

I take an interest in matters pertaining to Queen Elizabeth because she married Prince Phillip of Greece, one of our more impoverished royals who captivated the Princess Elizabeth when she first met him at the Royal Naval Academy.

Reading the comments following the captioned article I was particularly drawn to these words in response to the article's bizarre American understandings of a constitutional monarchy. If only the United States had progressed as well as Canada has in becoming a mature, civilised nation which remained loyal to The Crown.:

Note my highlighting.

The fact that Elizabeth II is Queen of Canada is not a "quirk of incomplete decolonialization." As just one indication, note that the U.K. could become a republic tomorrow and this would affect nothing in Canada -- Elizabeth is Canada's monarch independently. To some Canadians, perhaps, the monarchy "symbolizes the kind of traditional authority and deference to a settled social order that conservative voters warm to," but to many other Canadians the Crown is a guarantor of freedoms that transcends partisan politicking. I have only to mention the name of Eugene Forsey (d. 1991), a leftist who did more than any other Canadian to educate his fellow countrymen on this point. Republicans, particularly American ones, seem to have difficulty understanding that constitutional monarchy is not a silly anachronism but a form of government with strengths and weaknesses different from those of a republic. And to imply that the Queen should not be taken seriously because she is a "British grandma" is simple ageism and sexism that is unworthy of the NYT and its readers -- and in any case she's as much a Canadian grandma as she is a British one.

 

[kallipolis]

^Despite your considerable understatement the people of Canada voted for Harper, and his conservative party leading me to believe that your attempt at a diplomatic initiative had little influence on the Canadian people's voting choices.

They may even believe that your declaration is rather lacking in subtlety and objectiveness normally worthy of a Canadian.

I'd even go as far as believing that you are sufficiently abrasive to be an American.

 

[JayHawk]

Damn by Commonwealth I was hoping you referred to Virginia. As far as I am concerned they can be given back to the crown.

As far as JUBbers discussing other nations politics? I see many many threads over the years discussing other nations politics.

The answer given in EVERY instance with greek, canadian or United Kingdom politics is "you have no idea what you are talking about" ... SO I would suggest either the foreigners leave American politics to Americans IF they are of the opinion that no one can look in their own back yard OR take some fucking opinions about your own messy governments. However, you are looking at the issue as described fully but your opinion is invalid because you are American does NOT wash.

G'day.

 

[kallipolis]

Forgive him, Lord; as a Greek he knows not what he says.

Greece lacks the Internet, newspapers, satellite television, and radio even libraries.

I even misunderstood this thread's topic when believing it was all about Queen Elizabeth and the Commonwealth, and not yet, another Harper is a tyrant thread.

 

[rareboy]

Damn by Commonwealth I was hoping you referred to Virginia. As far as I am concerned they can be given back to the crown.

As far as JUBbers discussing other nations politics? I see many many threads over the years discussing other nations politics.

The answer given in EVERY instance with greek, canadian or United Kingdom politics is "you have no idea what you are talking about" ... SO I would suggest either the foreigners leave American politics to Americans IF they are of the opinion that no one can look in their own back yard OR take some fucking opinions about your own messy governments. However, you are looking at the issue as described fully but your opinion is invalid because you are American does NOT wash.

G'day.

Well I'm perfectly happy to have my US friends comment on all affairs Canadian or foreign.

 

[JayHawk]

Well thanks. I shall when i think i have something to add. Although CE&P is wearing mighty thin on me these days.

 

[Kulindahr]

If she's separately queen of all the different Commonwealth nations, does she have a crown for each one?

 

[kallipolis]

If she's separately queen of all the different Commonwealth nations, does she have a crown for each one?

Elizabeth has several crowns but for practical working purposes will wear a simple tiara for grand state occasions, such as banquets to symbolise her status as head of state.

For the opening of the UK parliament The Queen will wear the imperial state crown.

For everyday working purposes The Queen does not wear a crown preferring to dress to suit the occasion. For instance when in Canada she will often wear red, and white apparel in deference to her role as Canada's head of state.

 

[M4P]

The Queen and the British Monarchy are part of our past, present and future. Her role is for the most part symbolic as is her representative in Canada, Governor General David Johnson. When she visits Canada she draws large crowds of supporters and well wishers. I salute her

I'll probably be bashed for writing this but I'm from the west and I don't buy into any of the bullshit Keeland wrote in this thread. You lost the damn election - move on like the rest of us have and be grateful you live where you do

God Save The Queen

 

[csb999]

If you are responding wholly or in part to the comment I made there I do apologize , perhaps I was not clear enough . Someone earlier on suggested we stop discussing American politics so much in the future here , and I disagreed with that , saying that American politics affects all of us ( especially Canada ) . As well , something many Americans do not consider is that if our country is physically large , in population it is not . There are more Californians than Canadians and slightly fewer Texans .

 

[kallipolis]

The Queen and the British Monarchy are part of our past, present and future. Her role is for the most part symbolic as is her representative in Canada, Governor General David Johnson. When she visits Canada she draws large crowds of supporters and well wishers. I salute her

I'll probably be bashed for writing this but I'm from the west and I don't buy into any of the bullshit Keeland wrote in this thread. You lost the damn election - move on like the rest of us have and be grateful you live where you do

God Save The Queen

Canadians have a right to be proud of their country and its democratic traditions.

 

[M4P]

Canadians have a right to be proud of their country and its democratic traditions.

Thank you

 

[csb999]

I might add : the United States , France , Russia became republics through bloody revolutions in which thousands or hundreds of thousands died . Canada is in theory a monarchy .

 

[M4P]

I might add : the United States , France , Russia became republics through bloody revolutions in which thousands or hundreds of thousands died . Canada is in theory a monarchy .

Canada is a Constitutional Monarchy


http://www.parl.gc.ca/about/Senate/Monarchy/senmonarchy_00-e.htm

 

[palbert]

[portion deleted]
I even misunderstood this thread's topic when believing it was all about Queen Elizabeth and the Commonwealth, and not yet, another Harper is a tyrant thread.

This thread was intended neither to laud nor to bash anyone: it is the serendipitous occurence of an editorial in The NYT and many comments in a thread posted today pointing out that America overwhelms discussion of government and politics.

I am glad for the discussion so far because it will help me appreciate our neighbor to the North and gives context to the things I read.

Gentlemen, keep talking. I'm listening.

 

[csb999]

bit of trivia . During the war the queen was in the WRACs where she learned quite well how to strip and re-assemble a jeep . An 85 year old woman who can work on your jeep is not to be sneezed at .

 

[kallipolis]

bit of trivia . During the war the queen was in the WRACs where she learned quite well how to strip and re-assemble a jeep . An 85 year old woman who can work on your jeep is not to be sneezed at .

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2grMaRttws[/ame]