National Post (National Edition)
The GG and our constitutional car crash
HYPE IS ALWAYS PART OF THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS, FOR BETTER OR WORSE.
— COLBY COSH
The irreparable damage to the reputation of the office of the Governor General of Canada instigated by the resignation of Julie Payette was unnecessary and embarrassing for Canadians.
Though it's not unheard of to lose confidence in a government, to lose confidence in a governor general is altogether another matter and gives rise to the need for legitimate and thoughtful discussion concerning the value of the role. Did no one see this coming? A governor general is meant to be a pillar of civility, bestowing ceremonial calmness, a steady voice of reason, a silent and unspoken referee, called upon in moments of crisis. As the Queen's representative, the governor general is supposed to be the institution that is above all pettiness. If the facts are true, Payette failed miserably.
Was there no sage voice of reason that could have prevented the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Richard Wagner, from being stripped of his scarlet robe and signature white mink collar and garbed in an officer's military jacket, as if someone had proclaimed,“Ta-da we now have a newly minted acting governor general?” The only thing missing was the curtsy, and bow, followed by a speech from the throne.
With the greatest of deference, while Madame Payette offered the poor health of her father as the reason for her resignation, which is admirable, it doesn't alleviate the explosive allegations concerning mistreatment of staff and the subsequent findings from an investigation into her behaviour.
This crisis has created a constitutional impairment by diminishing the ability of the officeholder who sits as GG to effectively manage constitutional disputes. This was a self-inflicted wound, politically grotesque. Placing the chief justice in a quasi political role is untenable, and becomes even more so, if he wants to stay, worse yet if he ricochets back to becoming chief justice; his recusal from future issues of constitutional importance would be demanded.
This national humiliation has been exacerbated by carnage of unintended consequences.
Presumably this was one of those moments where country above self would have been the right course of action: a selfless act of contrition, followed by regret, with an admission of guilt, to prevent the calamity of what is now a constitutional car crash.
Had Payette acted sooner, it would have been a selfless act, but acting as she did was instead self-serving. She could have gone long ago, without incident or sacrifice to her reputation, retiring as a beloved former astronaut, but she chose not to do so and now many of her achievements are in tatters, stained by allegations of abusive behaviour.
Having doubled down on the results of an investigation, she missed indirect cues encouraging her departure. How could she have been so badly advised, and why did the government participate in such a circus, to what end was the purpose?
Yet again, a self-inflicted, disastrous example of how not to exit problem employees — which it allegedly is in this scenario.
Presumably the results of the independent investigation accurately corroborate the allegations of abuse suffered by staff at the hands of the governor general and her lieutenant. If so, the opportunity to resign, though expedient, masks the true impact of the alleged mistreatment.
Resignations are for matters of conscience, sudden illness, and disagreements of principle, or an inability to carry out the duties of one's office. It's not meant to be a coverup or as a protection for the shameful conduct of a bully. A resignation, though fitting for the institution, does seem suspicious and conveniently timed.
Privacy aside, history will be trusted to capture the fulsomeness of the reasons for Payette's departure. It's not unlikely or unreasonable that this could have been a termination, and by calling it anything but may force many Canadians to believe it's untruthful and diminishes the stories and experiences of those impacted and traumatized by what allegedly occurred under Payette's leadership, and at her direction.
The timing, and similarity of what has transpired between the U.S. heads of state and Canada's vicereine can only be described as a bizarre coincidence, but it surely made for an interesting first call Friday between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
How quickly the tables have turned. We can now stop criticizing the chaos of our American cousins and let them know Canada is in good hands, and that we did not technically orchestrate a coup d'état, despite Canada's now former representative of the Queen being accused of behaviour unbecoming of the office she held, and therefore needing to go.
Citizen Payette, much like Trump, has now left office in disgrace, albeit, not to the same degree of controversy. The irony should not be lost, and it's a reminder that one's actions speak louder than one's words.
Pray someone is loudly explaining to Madame Payette that the stipend governors general have received in the past to support their charitable initiatives, and or administrative needs, should be rejected to spare a further hosing of the Canadian taxpayer. With government spending at record highs, we will all be asked to do more with less.
A SELF-INFLICTED WOUND, POLITICALLY GROTESQUE.