| Never have I heard this melody, this mighty song, so often than in the previous days when Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 60th anniversary of Royal reign in Great Britain.
As Queen of the UK she is also the Head of State of all Commonwealth Countries, Canada being a part of it.
One may have a distant relationship to Royalty or not, but it sure represents a whole lot of history. And we are all part of history, Canada as well as the United States. It was very good to hear Barack Obama speak his congratulations to the Queen’s big day. It witnesses about respect for each other and a partner country’s system. Speaking of respect: The French Quebecois in Canada have abstained from congratulating the Queen. I am not really surprised about that as it could be expected.
In the past I had never felt anything special for Queen Elisabeth II, partly because I did not grew up in an English-speaking country, but also because of International media often tried to discredit the British Royal Family. Queen Elisabeth never really showed much of a human touch --- that is except over the last couple of days where we have seen her smiling a whole lot.
The celebrations in London involved the entire population. That is something I have experienced in Norway under official gatherings and celebrations where the Norwegian Royal Family was present. Like the British have shown today, the Norwegian people also love their King and the whole Royal Family. It is unthinkable that Norway would ever vote for abandoning Monarchy to be a purely Republican Country.
********************************************************** I have received quite a few comments re. yesterday’s grizzly story. And everybody suggested we had better slept in the vehicle. I might have failed to tell that part, but our suburban was packed with our moving goods from behind the front seats to the rear hatch. Matter of fact we did sleep in it on the way to the BC-border when it was still empty. Suburbans are long and wide enough to accommodate two people’s mattresses easily. ********************************************************* It was another grey day out her on the island, and the weather forecast for the next week is not good. Rain, rain and rain showers is all we can expect. I sure hope you have some better weather where ever you are. Thanks for stopping by again! |
Along with what your refer to as French Quebecois abstaining from congratulating the Queen so has the group ‘Citizens for a Canadian Republic’ – from all parts and regions of Canada and I endorse them heartily.
ReplyDeleteI have nothing particular against the Queen or the royal family other than I think they would make a great live reality TV show. The idea of taxpayers lavishly funding any family today is rather anachronistic to me.
Opinion polls in Canada repeatedly show that Canadians are either against or care little about the monarchy. Personally, I’m in the ‘against’ group but I really don’t care that much either way.
Of all the great things former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau accomplished, repatriating the Constitution from Great Britain to Canada was, in my view, his single greatest achievement. That left no role for the Parliament of Great Britain, or the Queen, to play in Canadian politics.
Let Great Britain have their party with their 'pretend family' of so-called royals. Just leave us Canadians out of it.
Rick, I did certainly not intend to start a new discussion here, and I think I have made my personal position very clear. In our most recent discussion you took a position that we can't tear up the constitution. And that is correct. But the Queen is part of the Canadian Constitution as well. Many countries have a Head of State without real power. Germany has a "Bundespraesident" who is just a formal representative for official occasions. The cost of that is absorbed by the country. I'd rather have a Royal Family than a Bundespraesident. The cost for the British Royalty is neglectible put into comparison with the entire budget of Great Britain. Taxpayers are lavishly funding a lot of BS and public corruption - our papers are full of it -- that I don't think that money spend on the "luxury" of a Royal Family is so bad.
ReplyDeleteI understand completely that your post is your personal opinion, Peter.
DeleteYou have invited comments on it and I've given mine, that's all. I hope you didn't mean that you didn't wish to hear any differing views from your own.
AS always, I appreciate your comments, Rick. Nothing is gonna change that.
DeleteNo better weather over here my friend..and isn't this weather we're experiencing pretty depressing...and all I will say is good answer "Peter"....have a super week
ReplyDeleteWe have the comment sections and sometimes people do not agree to your point of view. I think it is great that two Bloggers on either side of north America can do this. In certain aspects I agree with both of you.
ReplyDelete