There is a peculiar connection between two news stories that have been featured lately in the Canadian media.
The 60th anniversary of Elizabeth II ascension to the throne is the first one and the brouhaha surrounding the Conservatives’ ramming through Bill C-38 the second.
Throughout the Commonwealth, the Queen’s anniversary celebration has occasioned pundits to comment on the relevance of the monarchy and the Royal Family, their value, significance, cost, etc.
Both vitriol and treacle have been spread across editorial pages as proponents and opponents of the monarchy have voiced their opinions.
Meanwhile commentators from across Canada have had their say on Harper’s bludgeoning through parliament of his omnibus bill, some 400 pages in length, without much, if any debate.
The consensus of public opinion regarding the former news item has been positive, except of course in Quebec, in which province the French attitude toward monarchs, especially British monarchs, remains similar to the views held during that country’s revolution.
The English, on the other hand, still have residual guilt over the beheading of their monarch in the 17th century and glory of Elizabeth’s reign.
The connection between these two stories is that Canadians love the idea of a monarch as long as that person has no real power, hence their love of the Queen. On the other hand, they dislike the idea of a commoner assuming that he or she has the power of a monarch, hence their growing distaste for Mr. Harper.
The British Royals have learned to avoid even the suggestion that they are trying to manipulate or affect public policy. That is the key to their popularity.
Should they attempt to influence political thought, that is, have the audacity to imply that they have any power, the cloying subjects that now are willing to stand for hours in the rain just to glimpse a passing royal carriage would turn on them faster than a pack of pit bulls on NFL quarterback and convicted dog fighter Michael Vick.
Politicians should take note. The public has merely grumbled up until now, as the parties that form government have slowly centralized power in the offices of the prime minister and the provincial premiers.
But as governing parties use their majority to limit parliamentary debate and individual members are muzzled more and more frequently – Conservative MP David Wilks for example – and ordered to simply vote the party line and shut up, and as cabinet decisions and ministry regulations are substituted more and more often for actual parliamentary legislation, the public are taking note.
They don’t like politicians assuming the role of royalty; that is a privilege the people grant to movie stars, pop musicians and the Kardashians.
Mr. Harper should take note. Bay Street bankers may love him, but to the person in the street, he has no more clout than last year’s winner of So You Think You Can Dance.
– Jim Holtz is WEEKENDER columnist and a former reporter for the Grand Forks Gazette
