Friday, May 18, 2018

ROYAL WEDDING

      The world has been told continuously for the last few months that Prince Harry is marrying Meaghan. Now I'm not excited about this event. I fully understand why some people would be keenly interested and I'm not trying to offend those who are going to follow the event.

     When I was bought up the King and Queen were highly thought of by my Mom . My mother was a royal follower. I remember listening on the radio to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip's marriage in 1948. Our radio wasn't working so we get dressed up as if we were going to church and went to the neighbors to listen to the ceremony.

     King George VI toured close to our town in 1939. I know I was there. My Mom was pregnant with me at that time.

    My Mom also made sure I saw Queen Elizabeth when  she visited Saskatoon , Sask in 1958. The Queen drove by and was gone in about 5 seconds.

    So I've been exposed to royalty in a positive way  but I'm not interested in them. Yes , I do sing God save the Queen when it needs to be sung.

    Now I know that the Queen is a formal and constitutional part of our government and parliamentary system. Queen Elizabeth is the Queen of Canada. 

    Now she is  to sign every bill passed in parliament before the bill becomes law.  Since she doesn't live her she has official representatives who do her duties. We have a Governor General who acts for the national government. Governor General , Julie Payette visited Alberta last week.

 Each province has a Lieutenant governor General who signs provincial government bills into law. I couldn't tell you the name the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta .

    So I may not be interested in the pomp and ceremony but I somewhat understand the constitutional place of the Monarchy.