In defence of the GG
The term of Canada's Governor General, Adrienne Clarkson, will expire this September - though PM Paul Martin has already extended it once, so you never really do know. Regardless, the wheels of speculation in the Canadian media are already turning. The Prime Minister will likely choose a new GG in the coming weeks or months - but bandying around more possible names for the position is a waste of time.
Adrienne Clarkson has taken a lot of flak in her six-year tenure as the Queen's representative in Canada, mostly for what some see as an opulent or frivolous lifestyle. Granted, she and her partner John Ralston Saul aren't really the most common folks, but let's think about the purpose of the office. It's the job of the GG to promote Canada abroad, to ensure that Parliament works properly, and to serve as a uniting force for the country. Most of the GG's opponents have slammed her for her many trips around the world, and have called for either drastic cuts in her office's budget or the abolishment of the office completely.
Now again, Adrienne certainly hasn't connected very much with your average Canadian, I'll give you that. You don't see her and John Ralston out for a beer in Flin Flon, Manitoba or playing hockey in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. I'll admit that this is a big weakness - the GG is supposed to bring Canadians together, and I'm not sure that Adrienne does that. This is an important part of the position that the PM should keep in mind when he makes his choice.
But she has done her job in other respects - we may think that her travels are opulent, but she's supposed to promote Canada internationally. Adrienne, a culturally-aware, intelligent and articulate Canadian, is exactly who I want telling the world about how great our country. And Parliament hasn't exactly collapsed on us yet - though some observers would challenge her performance in that regard as well. The office of the Governor General is a ceremonial office, this is true. It's an office that requires money and travelling to function properly, and I'm willing to spend an appropriate amount of money to ensure that our Governor General can do her job with dignity. Of course, we shouldn't go overboard - but in my view, Adrienne hasn't reached that limit. She hasn't done an amazing job as GG, but she has done reasonably well.
In the next GG, I'd like to see someone who can continue to promote Canada effectively abroad (as Adrienne Clarkson has done), but who can also connect with the people of this country and convince them of the office's importance. We need a balance of both in the next occupant of Rideau Hall, to ensure the continuance of our proud traditions and to make them even stronger and more relevant.
Related Reading
Clarkson successor must be named soon, observers say (Globe and Mail)
Governor General of Canada (Rideau Hall)
