There are days when you watch and read about your nation’s leaders and wonder “are they part of the same continuum?” This is one of those days (God help us ALL)…
On one hand, we have our stunning new Governor-General, Michaelle Jean — a woman who seems to glow with intense, firey energy. From the moment she took the position, she has been a stunning presence on the Canadian public scene. She visited a rough school in a very rough Winnipeg neighbourhood, and brought with her messages that went beyond the standard, stuffy itineraries.
On the matter of the recent suicide of a bullied, young Aboriginal girl, she offered this:
“I was very shocked to hear that a week ago, I think, a young girl, 11 years old, committed suicide. Kathleen, is that her name? This shouldn’t happen. This should not happen. I think life is worth living. Your contribution is an important one.”
She then offered her widsom on being a minority in Canada:
“There are things that a black woman understands profoundly when we talk about prejudices, when we talk about feeling left out, feeling abandoned. There are things in my experience that are probably very similar to yours.”
In one visit, she managed to bring more empathy, more wisdom, and more compassion than any of the generations of stuff-shirts that came before her. She was breathtaking to watch, and this is only the beginning. This woman intends to make a difference, using all the tools her new office is making available. She will do it with grace and style…and (of this I am certain) she will not disappoint.
On the flipside of this coin, we have Ralph Klein. For every moment of poise and beauty that Mme. Jean brings to her substance, Mr. Klein goes out of his way to drain substance from anything he does…usually with a big, fat, crass sucking sound!
Take this excerpt from Jeffrey Simpson’s column in today’s Globe and Mail, as he recounts a recent Ralph Klein government initiative:
The Premier, who’s always hinting but never delivering on health care changes, announced just the other day not one, but two new hospitals 17 kilometres apart. It makes no sense.
One will be in the Health Minister’s riding, the other in another minister’s riding. They couldn’t decide on one hospital, so there’ll be two. Asked about the craziness of the decision, Mr. Klein shrugged and said it was all about “politics”. At least he was being honest. But is this government? A few days later, he delivered a speech while chewing gum. It doesn’t seem to matter.
The two faces of Canada. One is gorgeous, electrifying, powerful, and full of grace. The other is a fat, bigoted slob…or a lazy sonofabitch…or both, depending on your point of view. For the sake of our future, I certainly hope we see more and more of Mme. Jean and less and less of Ralph Klein. If nothing else, substance should always aspire to be aesthetically pleasing…which doesn’t seem to be a strength — or desire — of Alberta government officials.
