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I'm wondering if the Queen will be involved in Vancouver 2010 as Canada's head of state. I think it'd be great, but have a feeling we'll have to make do with the Governor General instead.

I'm sure Queen Elizabeth II will be involved at London 2012, but does anyone know if she had any involvement at Montreal '76, Calgary '88, or Sydney '00?

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I'm wondering if the Queen will be involved in Vancouver 2010 as Canada's head of state. I think it'd be great, but have a feeling we'll have to make do with the Governor General instead.

I'm sure Queen Elizabeth II will be involved at London 2012, but does anyone know if she had any involvement at Montreal '76, Calgary '88, or Sydney '00?

She neither opened the Games in Calgary nor in Sydney, but in Montreal...

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If the GG opens the Games, I'm curious what the world reaction will be when they see a black woman opening the Canadian Winter Olympics. I'm doubtful that many people know who or what the GG is and with all the focus put on President Obama's heritage, this may be a bit of a surprise that the Great White North has a de facto head of state with African roots.

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@ kendegra,

maybe my questions sounds "silly", but -

how many Canadians do really know the duties/rights of the Canadian GG?

how many Canadians do know who the GG is right now?

how long is the term of the Canadian GG?

who decides about the Canadian GG?

why were exactly these persons selected as GG?

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how many Canadians do really know the duties/rights of the Canadian GG?

Not many, to be honest. The December 2008 parliamentary crisis demonstrated that.

how many Canadians do know who the GG is right now?

I don't have percentages, but I would suspect the number is between 60-75%

how long is the term of the Canadian GG?

Generally 5 years. It isn't set. Adrienne Clarkson went longer. Romeo LeBlanc went shorter.

who decides about the Canadian GG?

Basically, the Prime Minister. He gets input from his Cabinet and a rubber stamp from the Queen.

why were exactly these persons selected as GG?

It is complex. Based on politics, public service, achievement, linguistics. The two most recent have been immigrant daughters with journalist and arts backgrounds. Romeo LeBlanc was an Acadian politician. Most previous to him were also politicos.

Check out wikipedia for more info: GG of Canada

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Its unlikely because the Queen will be in Canada in 2012 to mark the diamond jubilee.

Do you now already know about the Diamond Jubilee plans for the Queen?

I think the Queen opened only the 1976 Olympics and not Calgary anymore because of the Canada Act of 1982.

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I just wonder if the Queen hasn't enough money to travel to Canada twice in two years...

Well she does, but she usually does not visit Canada on a regular basis.

Anyway, the last time the WOG were held in Canada the GG opened them And the last time a Commonwealth country had the games (Australia) there GG opened the games, to. I also think Michael Jean would be a great choice, as she is a good ambassador for Canada (every time she gets out of Canada the foreign media seems to love her... The same can't be said for Harper...). As long as her husband isn't in BC Place, I'll be happy :lol:

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Well with the jubilee the Queen is likely to visit most of her realms, Canada, Jamaica, Bahamas, Australia and New Zealand to celebrate her 60th year, so two trips in 2 years is unlikely and I think the government here would prefer a diamond visit over the Olympics.

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I'd say: Forget the Queen. I'm perfectly happy if Michaelle Jean opens the Games. I mean, she's hot! And it's unbelievable that she's already 51. She looks at least ten years younger.

And look what a nice couple she and President Obama are:

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I know, I'm slobbering. But wouldn't you, too, if your most prominent female politician looked like this?

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Jean opening Vancouver 2010 all the way....and it might even entice Obama to come up over during the Games!

It appears that Obama has a much better relationship with Jean than our Prime Minister. Immediately after his visit to Canada last month, Obama invited Jean to come to Washington to discuss about Haiti (where Jean is from).

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Did she immigrated to Canada or her ancestors?

Wikipedia knows: :D

Jean was a refugee from Haiti, coming to Canada in 1968, and was raised in the town of Thetford Mines, Quebec. After receiving a number of university degrees, Jean worked as a journalist and broadcaster for Radio-Canada and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), as well as undertaking charity work, mostly in the field of assisting victims of domestic violence. Her participation in some of her husband's film works through the 1990s, as well as her holding of French citizenship, later caused controversy when her appointment as governor general was announced; comments Jean had been recorded making were construed by some as favouring Quebec sovereignty, and her dual citizenship caused doubt about her loyalties. Jean denied any separatist leanings and renounced her citizenship of France.

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There is a story that back in 1976, as Prime Minister and head of government Pierre Trudeau personally invited the Queen to open the Montreal Olympics, at the behest of the Premier of Quebec. It was a bit of a touchy situation and Premier Bourassa later balked at the decision because he realized it may have been unpopular with Quebeckers. As Queen of Canada, she is the official head of state and entitled to do the job. But of course, she is also Queen of the UK, Queen of NZ, Queen of Australia, and other realms and she lives in London. Trudeau never had the best relationship with or respect for the the monarchy (he previously twirled behind the Queen and then caused a minor controversy by not wearing socks in the Royal Box at the Olympics). Also at the time, the GG (de facto head of state), Jules Leger, had suffered a stroke in 1974. He was partially paralyzed to the point that his wife often read his speeches for him, including the 1976 Throne Speech.

So to me, all this points to GG Jean opening the Olympics. BC Premier Gordon Campbell may be trying to land the Queen for his own personal ego purposes, but I think it best to have a resident Canadian do the job.

Either way, it also looks like Canada will be the only country to ever have all its Olympics opened by a woman...if not the only country to ever have a woman do the job. I can't think of any others???

Edited by Kendegra
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I think that the Vancouver Olympics marks another climax in Canadian history and I wonder if the Canadians didn't want that the head of their monarchy be part of this history...

Maybe the Canadians who are here can tell if they think in that way.

But Sydney 2000 also was a milestone for Australia and the head of their monarchy was not a part of it.

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Maybe the Canadians who are here can tell if they think in that way.

But Sydney 2000 also was a milestone for Australia and the head of their monarchy was not a part of it.

We didn't want some Bloody Pom coming in and taking our glory!

That said, our GG hardly impressed with his articulateness!

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