How
does one value his country or his own rights? Most of us have little
reason to even think about such questions as we pass through our
daily routines. In Canada we have had our most basic democratic
system of government manipulated and mangled for one purpose. Those
we elected have found a way, though apparent democratic means, to
design and mold government to their own needs. A long trusted even
revered third party, a referee if you wish, is nothing more than a
puppet. A Monarch who only thinks either through arrogance or simple
lack of care that responsibility can be put aside without
consequence.
It
has been reported how Governor General David Johnston had made a
public statement endorsing the oil sands as a “great
Canadian development.”
He had no authority to make such a statement. As the representative
of Her Majesty the Queen he has publicly committed Her Majesty to
that endorsement. A letter from his predecessor as Governor General
is clear proof that David Johnston is in breach of his authority. As
the representative of Her Majesty, the Governor General is installed
by Her Majesty and in the end only can be removed by Her Majesty. A
Governor General's tenure though five years, is at the “pleasure”
of
Her Majesty.
In
writing Her Majesty informing her of the serious breach of authority
by David Johnston I had few expectations. I was aware that the
Governor General was chosen by Prime Minister Harper, even though
many were shocked at the time. The letter arrived at Buckingham
Palace by Express Post (therefore signed for and trackable) on Friday
December 16th
2011. A response is dated December 19th
2011 and was dropped in my mailbox in St. Catharines Ontario on
Friday December 23rd
2011 at noon. Buckingham Palace found urgency in delivering the
letter within three and a half days from London to St. Catharines
during the height of the Christmas mail rush. Why was it so
important?
Her
Majesty's response is posted here. This response is nothing more
than insult to the people of Canada. She refers to herself as a
“constitutional
Sovereign.”
What does that mean? If she has no authority than neither does the
Governor General. It stands then that Royal Assent is not necessary
on our Canadian legislation and the farce of paying out billions of
our tax payer dollars to a show piece comical and without purpose.
We have people in Canada unable to feed their families, the
government cutting services and the people of the First Nations
surviving conditions that even representatives of the United Nations
were shocked over. Generations of trust and respect washed away by
this response.
Governor General David
Johnston in public committed Her Majesty in an endorsement of the oil
sands. There is no comment in the response from Buckingham Palace on
that issue, which is the key. Whoever advised Her Majesty on this
response has done so to protect the Governor General but more
importantly to ensure that the Monarchy does not comment on his
endorsement. It is now fair to ask was the decision of Her Majesty
the Queen her own? Was this response designed to protect the
interests of BP and Shell? Both British giants have massive
investments in the Alberta oil sands.
Have we now seen the
full circle of the British Empire to 'the good ol' days' of Sir
Francis Drake. A pirate unleashed onto the seas under the beck and
call of a British Monarch to murder and pillage only to be knighted
for his services. Are the executives of BP and Shell to be thought
of as the modern day 'Sir Francis' of the business world. After all
their massive investments into the oil sands bring even more massive
profit and in the end rather healthy returns to the British
government in taxes. True the days of sailing ships, swords and
blood are over and those executives of BP and Shell only wield their
cutlass at the executive board tables. Yet it was the British who
used the influence of their MP's to sway, or attempt to sway, opinion
in favour of the oil sands with European decision makers.
Her
Majesty the Queen in her letter states that she would not intervene
in this matter, that she acts upon advice “of her
Canadian Ministers.” The Queen
does not say simply Canadian Ministers but “her”
ministers. As
per the Letters Patent Constituting the Office of the Governor General and Commander-In-Chief of Canada point XIV “Governor
General's Absence” is
clear. “And whereas great prejudice may happen
to Our Service and to the security of CANADA without first
obtained leave from Us
for so doing through the Prime Minister of Canada.” Though
these Letters Patent were effective as of October 1st
1947 and seem dated by some sixty-plus years little has changed, even
though some individual amendments made such as the selection of the
Governor General. The University of Toronto Law Journal Vol 7, No. 2
(1948) states, “there
seems to be no change in the status of governor general and he still
remains an officer to whom his majesty has committed extensive but
definite powers and functions.”
In
our parliamentary democracy the Governor General has rarely used his
powers. Though Royal Assent was denied once to legislation in
Alberta and the Canadian parliament sent packing and a general
election forced this year in 2011. Some claim his position is more
symbolic rather than in fact active in government. And true our
democratic and stable government has had little reason for a referee
to interfere. Yet as the University of Toronto Law Journal
continues, “It
would appear that, in spite of all the changes, he is still under
legal liabilities and all the older judgements and case-law in
relation to “colonial” governors are of authority, while special
statutes of the United Kingdom, over which Canada has no control,
still govern his conduct and certain aspects
of his legal liabilities.”
David Johnston does
not do as he pleases nor as Prime Minister Harper dictates! As the
Governor General his boundaries are definite and his conduct
answerable to Her Majesty not the Prime Minister. It is only her
Majesty that has full authority over the office of the Governor
General. David Johnston as Governor General holds a post that is not
chosen or elected by the people of Canada. He was chosen by Prime
Minister Harper, and was chosen for one reason only. Yet he
represents the Monarchy, he represents the Queen herself with his
actions. In his endorsement of the oil sands he has brought public
endorsement of Her Majesty to the oil sands. Cowardice has never
been the currency of the realm as it is now. The honour and prestige
of the Monarchy has been compromised by its representative and that
cannot be ignored. David Johnston may make speeches and present his
sanctimonious expressions but the puppet strings cannot be made
invisible. He is the chosen one, and it is he who paid his dues in
obstructing an inquiry into the actions of an ex-Conservative Prime
Minister. It is he who put the seal of approval on the oil sands for
Prime Minister Harper. Maybe David Johnston should print some decals
and stick them on the barrels of oil from Alberta's oil sands, the
way Crabtree & Evelyn does on their jams.
Her
Majesty and the Monarchy has been compromised by Governor General
David Johnston. It is not an issue of whether you support the oil
sands or not. This is an issue of governance, of OUR CANADIAN
DEMOCRACY. No one, regardless of whether it is the Queen, her
representative in the role of Governor General, nor the Prime
Minister of Canada may have the right to manipulate our Canada. We
as Canadians cannot stand idle and allow this. This is the role and
authority of Her Majesty to act and to remove David Johnston as
Governor General of Canada and to issue a statement on her position
relating to the endorsement Johnston made. The Governor General is
responsible for his conduct only to Her Majesty. Or is the line of
dialogue from the movie Pirates
of the Caribbean – Dead Man's Chest – most
appropriate in today's world - “No
doubt you've discovered that loyalty is no longer the currency of the
realm, as your father believes. I'm afraid currency is the currency
of the realm.”
Have there been more
amendments to the Letters Patent Constituting the Office of Governor
General and Commander-In-Chief of Canada?
Raise
your Canadian voices, sign the petition to remove David Johnston
as Governor General of Canada. The position of Governor General may
not be elected by Canadians but we as Canadians will not be ignored,
not even by Her Majesty the Queen.
Send comments to: demtruth@gmail.com
"Is the Queen (The Monarchy) interfering in our Canadian Parliamentary Democracy?" You can hardly complain about her interfering and then complain that she has not got rid of the GG! You've basically discredited everything you have said.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Mr Alastair 'Al' Berta, in Canada we have the right to express our opposing views, it is part of the democratic right we enjoy. I welcome all comments as long as it is not of the gutter mouth variety of Ezra Levant, if he was a man he would stand eye to eye with the man he insulted and say what he did to his face. But then can we ever expect that of Ezra Levant. Still I am curious if you are a man who stands by his words then why hide behind a phony and fictitious name?
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious from your comment you have little knowledge of what a Governor General is, or how our parliamentary democracy in fact should work. First of all under the Letters Patent the Governor General is appointed as the representative of the Monarch with the rights and powers as the Monarch's representative. We the people of Canada have no voice in who the Governor General is. We the people of Canada do not in fact elect the Governor General. In the specific case of David Johnston he was chosen by PM Harper and for very clear and specific reasons. As a Canadian elected government we cannot even pass laws without the Monarch and the Crown through its representative providing Royal Assent. As the Governor General he does not answer to the people of Canada. Make no mistake about the fact the Governor General does not represent the people of Canada! The Governor General represents only the Monarchy and the Crown in Canada. Yet he or she too has to follow the protocol and rules of his position. For everything the Governor General does he or she does so in the name of the Crown and the Monarch of the day.
That being said when I stated that the Monarch Her Majesty the Queen has interfered in our Canadian parliamentary democracy it was on those grounds, actually facts. David Johnston's predecessor in a letter to me made it clear, the role and responsibilities of the position of a Governor General. It is only the authority of Her Majesty that can remove the Governor General. Did you think you or Canada could? The actions of David Johnston not only breach his authority as the representative but taint the Monarchy in the intentional manipulation of our democracy.
Understanding brings about intelligent discussion, not always does it have to be agreement. You hide behind some phony name and make no points, why? Are you defending the Governor General? Are you defending PM Harper? Or do you have another motivation? To end this take note that David Johnston, a self-professed lover of the letter of the law signed providing Royal Assent to illegal legislation in the form of Bill C-18. As the representative of the Monarchy who in reality signed and gave Royal Assent? If that's not manipulation, if that's not interference in our Canadian democracy then let's discuss what is! Use a real name if you have the courage to!