Coincidence?

The last few posts that disappeared from Civitatensis I had posted from Mexico. Two of them had something to do with the murder of the two Canadians in Cancun, and the Canadian suspects. I was not slandering Mexico, but simply noted that not much was being said here as compared to all the attention that it was receiving in Canadian media. I noted that it was to be expected considering the numbers of murders that Mexican authorities have to deal with on a daily basis.

The last post about the murder, about the investigation to be exact, timed for publishing this morning but posted last night, referred to an article in the Globe, which I can’t find anymore. In any event, that post alone disappeared today but not the other ones showing some of the pictures I have taken in the last couple of days. I though that the disappearances were due to the Internet cafe from which I was blogging. Here are a few links from the G&M about the murders.

If I am right, this post won’t last long. I’ll have to save all of my observations about all of this until I get back home to Alberta.

Crossposted from civitatensis.ca

The Morality of Monarchs

Anyone with an interest in the constitutional discourse of parliamentary democracies, those under a Westminster like constitutional monarchy, likely find popular descriptions of constitutional monarchs and their representatives, be they “largely ceremonial” or “the symbolic head of state”, both cynical and misleading. Anyone with an interest in constitutional discourse, period, can appreciate that ceremony and symbolism carry significantly more import in the day to day realities of civil association than the detractors of constitutional monarchs suggest. Such an interest encourages one to consider, realistically, that those who fill “largely ceremonial” or “symbolic” offices do not cease to be moral political actors, however limited their actual political reach extends. Even constitutional monarchs are responsible for their actions in the offices that they fill, reacting to contigent matters or issues affecting the subjects they are give charge over, constitutionally, at least.

With the recent uproar over Prince Charle’s politics, much media opinion has expressed the view that he has committed a wrong, that he should stop writing cabinet ministers to either criticise or support one thing or another, or to “report” his perspective on a recent significant happening in the world. Tony Blair, last week, came to his defence. In his defence of the Prince, Blair said it was unrealistic to think that Prince Charles would not have views on political issues or that he should refrain from expressing his views; conditionally, of course, that they are not party political or cause any undue problems for the government.

In considering this issue of how political a constitutional monarch, their heirs or representatives should be, the Danish monarchy is likely a good study. Going back to the Second World War and King Christian X, the monarch who refused to flee or abdicate amidst German occupation, Danes seem to have a more avid appreciation for the political conscience of their modern constitutional monarchy. Denmark is a country with a well documented and uplifting history in Christian civilisation, a political culture of bold conscience—irrespective of a few over-the-top cartoons.

The current monarch, Queen Margrethe II, has made known her political viewpoints from time to time, most famously last year on how tolerant we should be of Islamic fundamentalism. In remarks to an official biographer, she said that “her country needs to find a ‘counter-balance’ to Islamic fundamentalism, regardless of the opprobium such a stance provokes abroad.” She boldly challenged the pervasiveness of political correctness, admonishing the need for courage:

“We are being challenged by Islam these years. Globally as well as locally. There is something impressive about people for whom religion imbues their existence, from dusk to dawn, from cradle to grave. There are also Christians who feel this way.

“There is something endearing about people who give themselves up completely to their faith. But there is likewise something frightening about such a totality, which also is a feature of Islam.

“A counterbalance has to be found, and one has to, at times, run the risk of having unflattering labels placed on you. For there are some things for which one should display no tolerance. And when we are tolerant, we must know whether it is because of convenience or conviction.”

I think what needs to be better appreciated in current political discourse is that conscience matters in politics, that cynicism destroys constitutional order. Constitutional monarchs, their heirs and representatives, remain legitimate political actors to the extent that they are fulfilling their constitutional duties or the oaths that they swore to uphold upon gaining their position; that this includes taking personal stands, with caution, on particular issues. In fact, if they were entirely non-political, they would not only be failing in their constitutional duties but morally failing as human beings, regardless of their unique social standing.

So one can appreciate that Prince Charles is a man of conscience, a man of high standing who feels obliged to exercise his leadership in promotion of a higher good. One can appreciate that Queen Margrethe, in her known love of Christian civilisation, sees the need to pointedly rebuke radical Islam for its incompatibility with Danish, and, by extension, our way of life.

Unfortunately, political conscience is far too readily trumped by cynical lack lustre commentary, sad opining that politics is just democratic wrangling for power by selfish interests. Supplementary to other criticism of MSM (mainstream media), maybe the blogosphere will provide better representation for the morality and sense of duty required of all political actors if constitutional order is to be preserved.

National Press Gallery – Perfect Example of Failed MSM

If you haven’t noticed, the National Press Gallery (the front rows of the political wing of the Main Stream Media) has been falling all over themselves complaining about their relationship with the PMO and Harper since the Conservative Party’s victory. Take a look at all the negative press that has been written and then continue on reading this weblog and the many other weblogs that will probably never be given National Press Gallery credentials. You see, this latest media squabble is only the beginning in a long journey the MSM is going to be taking towards irrelevancy in the eyes of their readers.

While the MSM is arguing how important they are (and how dire the consequences will be for Harper if he doesn’t relent and give more access), the rest of the country is getting on with their lives. The reason for this is obvious – whenever someone stops to tell me how important they are, and how I should listen to them (and how much trouble I’ll be in if I don’t) I can be assured that they have no real power, and that I can safely disregard their warnings. Why? Because those with real power don’t have to announce it to the world – their actions not their words bring about change. Most people, outside of the MSM, know that and that’s why the polls have been favourable towards Harper.

Those in the National Press Gallery may consider their questioning of the Prime Minister the most important news item of the day, but in reality it is little more than hot air – Canadians know this. Considering the last Prime Minister of Canada found nearly ever issue he discussed a “top-priority” (and never skipped an opportunity to discuss these issues with the media and whoever would listen), I think it’s accurate to say Canadians will judge Harper based on his actions, not what he says to the National Press Gallery.

The pride of Vancouver

LA Times:

“Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan, a quadriplegic, accepted the Olympic flag from Turin Mayor Sergio Chiamparino — and, in a demonstration of can-do spirit, spun his mechanized wheelchair to make the giant 16-foot flag flutter.”

Boston Globe:

“Sometime between the Felliniesque Clowns and Canadian rocker Avril Lavigne in tonight’s closing ceremonies of the Winter Games, Sam Sullivan will spin about the stage in a mechanized wheelchair, trying the best a quadriplegic can to wave the Olympic flag. He will embody the spirit of the Olympics and its future.

Filler News Items: February 22 2006

Dick van Dyke clips his toenails.

Someone in Hamilton switches breakfast cereals.

Bill Graham announces the Liberal shadow cabinet.

Old Habits

Stupid farmers.

CHUCK STRAHL has been Canada’s agriculture minister for only two weeks, but cash-strapped farmers are already giving him an earful…

Strahl was in the front row listening to the farmers’ speeches. When he took to the makeshift stage, Strahl encouraged farmers to keep protesting and to continue making their voices heard, so Canadians will understand their plight and politicians will have the “ammunition to get the job done.”

“That’s your job!” screamed one man, setting off a minor chorus from the unsatisfied farmers…

Organizer and farmer Dwight Foster asked the farmers if they were satisfied with what they heard from Strahl. The crowd responded with a collective, “NO!”

Here’s a hint, boys: Strahl’s on your side. Maybe it’s time to lay the aggressive demo tactics to rest for the time being, unless you want to come off like the perpetually-dissatisfied gay rights lobby in this country.

Reporting on polls

Someone appears to be missing the point of polling:

“Finally a poll that shows the same thing regular people you talk to on the street are saying.”

Am I the only one that chuckles every time I read that?

Hear ye welcome the new frontier of provincial rights!

One of my greatest hopes for the Harper government, and I have been hoping this for a while, is that he will follow through with promises to redress the fiscal imbalance, giving the provinces the money they need to meet THEIR obligations under the constitution. For far too long, Liberal governments have been using their enormous spending power and provincial impoverishment to meddle with areas of Canadian government that are none of their business; areas that would be better governed, more accountably, by greater provincial autonomy.

As reported by the G & M, it looks like the Bloc are willing to bolster Conservative efforts to effect such change across Canada. I don’t think members of other parties, particularly all Liberals, will oppose such plans either. However, it would be foolish to expect much of the Liberal party, and certain vocal constituents of theirs’, in going along with provincial rights. As is pretty common knowledge out West, many in Ontario, especially Toronto, remain blind to any distinction between their interest and the national interest, or to how a healthy federalism IS in Canada’s national interest. Afterall, being the centre of the universe, they do define all things Canadian. ;-)

In Praise of Ezra

If any of you have checked out the Bourque news page today, he links to a great piece on the heroics of Ezra Levant in Canadian civil society.

Canadian Muslims and the mainstream Canadian media might view Ezra Levant as a Leviathan. A crooked serpent with a heart of stone bent on wanton destruction. The proverbial bull running amok in the china shop. A creature so vile that he cannot be gazed upon without irreversible psychological damage for having been offended. I choose to view him as a Levantihan. A creature willing to shake things up when others remain silent or too timid to speak. A creature willing to stand up for freedom as others try to restrict it. A creature who comes to shine a light on those who would bring us into darkness.

Canada needs more Ezra Levants. The civilized world needs more Levantithans.

The piece also raises the important question, still taken too unseriously, of why it is that so much of the Islamic world finds civil society such an anathema, reacting in violent rampages for offences to their religion–which we’re simultaneously told is a peaceful religion.

In the face of that, Ezra “the Stockaholic” Levant remains a pre-eminent man of civilisation!

No thanking Asian parents

The current controversy to engulf the hamlet of Burnaby:

Following a presentation on the success of Burnaby’s Advanced Placement (AP) program of university-level courses for Grade 11 and 12 students at Tuesday’s school board meeting, newly-elected trustee Richard Lee congratulated all the families behind the students. He went on to note many of the student names listed in the presentation as being “scholars” of one level or another were Asian in origin…

“Congratulations to the Asian families behind these students for setting an example for all the students in our schools,” said Lee, who is a member of the Team Burnaby party.

The local paper delivered a stern tut-tutting to Lee and another member of the school board offered this reproach:

Board vice-chair Kathy Corrigan, a member of the Burnaby Citizens Association which has a 5-2 majority on the board, took exception to Lee’s remarks.

“I take offence to a particular ethnic group being singled out in either a positive or negative manner,” said Corrigan.

Corrigan said a great deal of offence would have been taken if she or anybody else had praised the success of Caucasians or any other ethnic group. [emphasis added]

Yeah, right. No further comment required.

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