New governor general? Let the profiling begin!
August 7th, 2005 by Bill
Canada will have a new governor general as of Sept. 27, 2005. She’ll be Michaëlle Jean, a Quebec journalist of whom I know nothing. There are several ways of demonstrating you know nothing, as this Quebec broadcaster demonstrates (in the manner of an anachronistic ass).
The appointment of a new GG has allowed Canadians to indulge in one of our favourite pastimes - profiling. Of course, being Canadians only some of us do it in a nasty way (like the broadcaster mentioned above). Usually we do it in a way we think is okay: “Isn’t it wonderful she’s a woman! A person of colour! From Quebec!”
Well, that’s profiling too.
Now, if you’re not a Canadian, or from one of the other Commonwealth countries, there is a good chance you’ve no idea what a governor general is or does. Don’t worry. We don’t either.
This causes some Canadians to get their shorts in knot. “Why are our hard-earned tax dollars going to support this freeloader?”
I’m not one of those. Especially in this case, with Michaëlle Jean. Given that most positions of this sort in Canada are peopled by persons with absolutely no personality, Ms. Jean strikes me as someone who may bring a certain amount of pep to Canadian public life. I think we could use some pep.
When was the last time you heard someone say, “You know what I like about Canadians? They’re so damn peppy!”
You just don’t hear that.
Of course, not knowing anything about Ms. Jean, I could be wrong. She may be as drab as our Prime Minister. Or, worse, Mr. Harper, leader of the opposition Tories.
I hope not. For the record, and with the caveat that I know very little about her, I’d like to say I think she is a good person for the position. I base that on the little I’ve been able to gather about the kind of personality she has and her background.
I really don’t give a rat’s behind about her gender, her race or what part of the country she is from. I know, I know … very un-Canadian of me to actually think of a person in a non-hyphenated way. (What do I mean? Take a look at this rubbish, both positive and negative.)
Canadians are masters of profiling - racial, sexual and every other kind. It’s our most annoying and disgraceful quality.
