Govenor General ducks reporters

Recently Prime Minister Martin appointed Michaelle Jean to the post of Governor General of Canada. This is a largely ceremonial post that ties in Canada's government to the Crown in England. She is effectively the Queen's representative in Canada. Vestiges of colonialism I suppose and something someday we probably should do away with but it still exists and the role still has a purpose.

This 46-year-old woman is a Haitian born immigrant with citizen ship in Haiti, France and Canada. She's a well-known reporter in French Canada and has been seen on the CBC hosting excellent shows like the Passionate Eye and other CBC efforts. My first reaction to her appointment was very positive. She's well known, a black immigrant, multilingual, highly intelligent and successful as well as chic and beautiful. She typifies the idealistic Canadian of the 21st century. A good choice.

My second reaction though was that knowing other Canadians I was sure I would hear people outside Quebec grumbling about the Federal government giving a "plum job" to another Quebecer even if a Quebecer hasn't held the post of Governor General in 19 years. Well that may have happened but honestly I never heard it. Unfortunately though the Separatists got the better of all of us and immediately accused her and especially her husband of being a Quebec Separatist. Typically separatist, they stabbed her in the back before she even officially took hold of the post.

Last night CTV had old film footage of her and her husband at a gathering of well know Separatists. Also, they remarked on a book they both were quoted in supporting the Separatist cause. Her husband, more than her, was supposedly very outspoken about the cause and a lot of the focus has been on him. Well, I have no problem with people being separatists and wanting Quebec to be an independent country or whatever the cause is today. After all we live in a free society where freethinking is openly encouraged and if it is all done through legitimate channels then people are free to want and believe in this. Personally I even see some benefits to it for both Quebec and Canada but I'm not sure I want the disruptions to our lives it would likely create. I do however have a big problem with Separatists holding a job where the primary function is to represent Canada on the world stage and promote Canada to the world. It would be like a Federalist holding the position as head of the St-Jean Baptiste Society, a nationalistic French Quebec organization dedicated to the separation of Quebec from Canada. This is a line that shouldn't be crossed by the other side.

This morning on the radio another issue has come up as well. Now France claims it may revoke her citizenship because according to French law no French Citizen can hold key positions such as head of the military in another country. The Governor-General's title is attached to such things even if it is ceremonial. So she may lose her duel French-Canada citizenship. Well you know France may have done us a favor there. So far Jean has not publicly stated anything about this controversy. Her position is publicly unknown. The Government says the Separatists are engaging in a smear campaign. Perhaps they are but if it is all true it is something people should be aware of. It turns out most Canadians outside of Quebec know little about her and perhaps they should know the truth especially from Jean herself. Her continued silence is starting to make the press uneasy and is raising questions in the minds of many people in the country. Now that France has made an issue over her citizenship she will have to pick what country she's really loyal to and as Governor-General one would presume the choice would be both obvious and easy - Canada. We will see if it is.

It will be interesting to watch this unfold. I'm also curious to see how the rest of the country takes it as well. Other Canadians often bash Quebec for pretty much everything we get from Ottawa be it a major contract, a government position, money or anything else that can be perceived as efforts to keep Quebec thinking it's benefiting from Ottawa - contrary to what the Separatists claim. We are seen as favorites of Ottawa and a big black hole where money is sent and wasted. French Canada sees exactly the opposite. Recent scandals have only intensified this feeling towards my Province. Also you must question how closely the government looked into her credentials before selecting her. Again, were they sleeping on the job? This has all the potential to turn into an ugly mess unfortunately. Sadly this woman was looking like the hip young ethnic urban success story of Canada's 21st century but now she's ducking reporters. She still might be all that but she or her husband better say all the right things because if not if will go downhill very fast I suspect. Even if it turns out to be true then at least admit that and come clean with the country. I think people would be more comfortable with at least that and then maybe even accept her in the role knowing it. In the end though it's a shame, what started out as a really positive thing has now been tainted.