Michaelle Jean. What a wonderful choice.
When Adrienne Clarkson was appointed Governor-General in 1999, it demonstrated a radical shift in thinking regarding the role of the vice-regal in Canadian society. No longer would we be subjected to stuffy ex-politicians, or pork-barrel appointees. Ms. Clarkson, through her cultured diplomacy, her sensitivity, her desire to make the Governor-General relevant in promoting everything that Canada was, is, and can be, did the impossible: she rejuvenated the position without any constitutional amendment, or drawn out monarchy-vs-republic debate.
Adrienne Clarkson made the Governor-General a unique, distinctly Canadian position � turning the trappings of colonialism into a symbol of modern Canada, but founded solidly on Canada’s past.
And now, we will have Michaell Jean, who will take the position one step further. The CBC sums it up very well:
Jean, a journalist, is probably best known to English Canadians as the host of The Passionate Eye on CBC TV and Rough Cuts on CBC Newsworld.
But her television career was launched in Quebec where she has worked as a journalist, producer and host for the CBC’s French language services, SRC and RDI, since 1988.
She has worked as a correspondent for Le Point, hosted Le Monde ce soir, L’Edition quebecoise, Horizons francophones, le Journal RDI and RDI � l’�coute. Currently she is host of the French-language documentary series Grands Reportages.
Jean has received many awards for her own documentary work including the Amnesty International Journalism Award, the Anik Prize and the Galaxi Award for best information program host.
Historian David Mitchell says Jean will play an important role, at a critical time in Canada’s history. “She will be a voice for Canada in Quebec and she will represent the new Quebec to the rest of Canada very effectively. She has that potential and that sense, this is an inspired choice.”
Jean was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She left in 1968, her family fleeing the oppressive regime of Francois ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier, settling in Quebec with her family. She is fluent in five languages: French, English, Spanish, Italian and Haitian Creole. A source close to the governor general selection process told CBC News “Canadians will fall in love with this woman. Her story, her nature and her character are nothing short of inspirational.”
There will be a howl of protest from right-wing hacks across the country, as yet another artsy-lefty-CBC personality assumes the vice-regal position. I could try to understand their feelings…but that would require a lobotomy on my part, so I’ll take a pass.
But I will say this, as a passionate believer in the kind of Canada we live in: former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau would be proud of this appointment. Ms. Jean represents everything he wanted in a citizen of modern Canada. � a poster girl for the kind of people we are, and the values that bring us all together in this great nation. THIS is the kind of event that feeds my patriotism, not the shallow, jingoistic sabre-rattling of others, who shall remain nameless.
THIS is what my Canada is truly about.
