Latest from Mark Steyn

Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears a Ton of Crowns [Mark Steyn]

A propos yesterday's post on Canada's constitutional crisis, a large number of readers have written along the following lines:

Hey Mark,

You want to explain for us Americans with a functioning government how in the hell the Queen of England is still deciding who rules places like Canada and Australia?? I thought Britain basically wrote off nearly ever part of governance of the former colonies legislatively, no??

Canada — 232 years behind the times??

Well, the short(ish) answer is that Her Majesty does not reign over Moose Jaw or Alice Springs in her capacity as "Queen of England". Although the Queen of the United Kingdom, the Queen of Canada and the Queen of Australia happen to be the same person in the corporeal sense, in the legal and constitutional sense they happen to be three different persons (and have been since the 1931 Statute of Westminster).

And yes, if you were starting from scratch, you probably wouldn't devise a system whereby the head of state lives thousands of miles away. But, on the other hand, the thing about peaceful constitutional democracies is that, unlike post-Nazi Germany or post-Saddam Iraq or post-umpteenth-coup Liberia, they don't often find themselves starting from scratch.

PS When I say that several different persons are contained within the body of the Queen, I am not endorsing the thesis of former BBC sports anchor and Coventry City goalkeeper David Icke that Her Majesty is a shape-shifting blood-drinking space lizard from the star system Alpha Draconis running the planet through a secret world government of child-abusing Satanist Illuminati. If that were the case, I'm pretty sure this whole Canadian constitutional crisis wouldn't be happening.

12/04 03:26 PM

Another Letter to the Governer General

To: Her Excellency
the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D.
Governor General of Canada

Politicians need a swift and strong reminder: they represent the electorate and serve at our pleasure.

What have these people achieved who are bestowed with such a prestigious role and title of "Honourable" Member, when they cannot proclaim the basic behaviour and belief of "Peace, Order, Good Governance"? Besides personal glory and gluttony?

It is long past time that a thorough, transparent accounting occur with Government - who spend - unfettered OUR tax dollars.

Economic and world conditions are precarious and most turbulent - it is clear thoughtful, prudent and extra-ordinary measures must be executed to safeguard our Country. I trust an economist to possess a better comprehension of the complexities and interdependence of such matters domestically and their external global relationship. It would be irresponsible to support a flailing, do anything especially wild spending that are only band-aids on a slashed jugular - it is short term and short sighted.

Government MUST cut costs in all areas of each department and programme - just like every taxpayer has to do - like it or not.

The immediate cessation of Taxpayers Subsidizing Political Parties, $30 Million per annum is a start.

Politicians crafted tax legislation to generously reward and entice political donations with a whopping 75% tax credit!!

While "everyone" gives lip service to helping others - the Red Cross or Salvation Army certainly don't receive such tax incentives.

I thank you in advance for your time to read my email, it is far longer than I intended and there is far more to express, which will be in short order, just not at this time. However, I shall sign off with this:

Should it be decided that our newly elected Parliament - cannot proceed nor succeed - as a Canadian citizen, legally entitled to vote, it is this Taxpayer's Demand that an immediate election is called - so that we the people who pay for all of this, vote to unequivocally determine who governs Canada during this time of uncertainty and market crisis.

On June 6th, 2001 Prime Minister Chretien directed the Members of Parliament to approve a 42% and 20% pay increase, including a few perks for the Senators to ensure swift passage in both the House of Commons and the Upper Chamber. Not only was the Bill passed in a record three days but, it was also retro-active six months, which brings us to barely a month after Federal Election. This major legislation was, considered irrelevant to Taxpayers, as it wasn’t even hinted at prior to the Election.

Your role - unless you defer to the Queen of England, must ensure our democratic rights are not usurped again.

Respectfully,

Sandra Miller
godivarides@gmail.com

Constitutional Legitimacy vs. Democratic Legitimacy

This afternoon I heard a U. of T. Law Professor talking about the decisions the Governor General can possibly make. He kept on repeatedly using the words "Constitutional Legitimacy". I fully understand their meaning but surely there is another type of "legitimacy" that deserves equal, if not more, consideration?

Since I'm an engineer and a numbers guy, let me provide her with some quick notes:

Math Primer for the Governor General

Choice #1: Give control to Le Coalition
Constitutional Legitimacy = 100%
Democratic Legitimacy: 0%

Choice #2: Force another election to be held
Constitutional Legitimacy = 100%
Democratic Legitimacy: 100%


I ask once again: What legitimate objection can anyone provide arguing against Choice #2?

CANADIANS DEMAND AND DESERVE ANOTHER ELECTION

---

Update: Unlike the hate mail I received from one commenter, it looks like I'm not such a big dummy after all! In this article, Ted McWhinney, a constitutional expert, lawyer, and former Liberal MP had some thoughts to share on this subject:

Ted McWhinney, a lawyer, former Liberal MP and constitutional expert, told CTV's Mike Duffy Live that Jean does not need to give Harper an answer right away and should talk with a number of advisers.

He also said Jean needs to weigh public opinion on the matter.

"Public opinion is about 50 per cent of constitutional law," McWhinney said Wednesday. "The common sense element is crucial in these things.

McWhinney said there "is a heavy burden" on the opposition to prove that they can form a stable coalition government.

He said it's important for the opposition to put an agreement down on paper, like they have already done, but said the agreement needs to be signed by the Bloc Quebecois in addition to the Liberals and NDP.

McWhinney called the current agreement as is "unsatisfactory."

My Letter to the Governor General

To: Her Excellency,
The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean
Governor General of Canada

Dear Madame,

I am writing you with grave concerns about the enormous perception of injustice resulting from what's occurring in Ottawa right now. Simply put, many, many Canadians, especially here in Western Canada where I live, believe that our democratically elected federal government is being hijacked by a group of politicians who never received the mandate to govern.

No one that I know of is saying that "The Coalition" can't rule Canada. All that we're demanding is that they present their case to the People of Canada and let the voters decide.

The Coalition and their supporters keep telling us that they have support from over 62% of the electorate. Fine. Then prove it! Let The Coalition run head-to-head with the Conservatives. In a given riding The Coalition should run only one candidate in total, chosen from one of the Liberal/NDP/Bloc Quebecois/Green Party partners. Let this candidate face the Conservative candidate head-on.

Who can possibly argue with this? It will be the best spent $300 Million in this country's history. And this money, by the way, gets injected back into the economy anyway, providing an immediate down payment on the economic stimulus that The Coalition is demanding. So when that 62% support for The Coalition translates into a majority of seats for them, they can then spend their planned $30 Billion as well.

I do not hide the fact that should the Conservatives lose this election then I will be sad. But at the same time, I will completely accept that this is the collective choice that my fellow Canadians have made.

An added benefit of this plan I am presenting to you is it will guarantee that a majority party will be elected and that government stability in Ottawa is finally achieved, which everyone agrees is what we truly need right now.

Sincerely,

Robert W.
Vancouver, BC

Canadians, Meet Your Unelected New Leaders

Oh wait, sorry ... technical glitch ... don't know how that happened. :-)

Here's the correct photo:
The gauntlet has been thrown down. Le Cabal de Trois will not be backing down now.

The next step is to find out whether Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, will demand that a new election be called.

After that, we will wait to learn what Governor General, Michaëlle Jean, decides. If she gives permission to the trio above to take over the government without any such mandate from the Citizens of Canada then she will forever destroy the notion of democracy in the eyes of all who actually care about democracy.

Eventually a federal election will be held. When that occurs the citizens will be given the ability to decide whether they approve of Le Cabal de Trois. We can only hope that enough people will realize that the Liberals and NDP need to be punished so severely that no one will ever attempt this again for at least another 100 years.

Postscript: All those in support of a proportional representation voting system better realize that should it come in - either here in B.C. or elsewhere - that such dysfunctional government will almost certainly become the norm.

Canadians Must Demand a New Election

Canadians Deserve An Election
And Must Demand One!

Please write Canada's Governor General, Michaëlle Jean, here: info@gg.ca