READY, FIRE, AIM: The King of Canada

Photo: King Charles III is greeted at the airport by Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak.

It is with a sense of deep pride and pleasure that my wife and I join you here today, as we witness Canadians coming together in a renewed sense of national pride, unity, and hope…

— from The Speech from the Throne, delivered by His Majesty The King, to open the first session of the 45th Parliament of Canada.

King Charles III paid a visit to one of his Commonwealth realms yesterday, to deliver a ‘Speech from the Throne’ at the opening session of the freshly constituted Canadian Parliament.

Canada’s House of Commons and Senate cannot conduct any public business before the ‘Speech from the Throne’ is delivered.

Normally, Tuesday’s address would have been given by Mary Simon, Canada’s Governor General and King Charles’s official representative in Canada. But as we all know, these are not normal times.

Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney invited the King himself to inaugurate the new parliament, and this will be the first time in almost 50 years that a British Monarch has personally opened a session of the Canadian Parliament.

The Speech from the Throne was, of course, delivered from the Throne, which is a special chair in the Senate chamber that would, in normal times, be occupied by Governor General Mary Simon. Like I said, these aren’t normal times.

I’m not sure where Ms. Simon was seated during the Speech from the Throne, because the King was sitting in her chair. But really, it’s been his chair all along. She’s just been keeping it warm.

There are a couple of things Canada has, that we don’t have, here in the U.S.

A King… and a Throne.

All we have is a President who acts like he’s a king.

But Canada has a real king. King Charles III. He’s the “head of state” for Canada and also for the United Kingdom and 13 other Commonwealth realms like New Zealand and Australia.

We could have had a king in the U.S., the same way Canada has a king, if we had played our cards right. But a bunch of rich businessmen and plantain owners blew our chances back in 1776, by sending a nasty letter to King George.

I had a chance to watch the Speech from the Throne online, courtesy of the BBC. Much of the Speech — which the King read from a printed booklet — sounded like it was written by a speechwriter working for the new Liberal government, and extolled the great things the newly-elected government is going to do for Canadians, in spite of everything.

You can read the full 10-minute Speech here.

“Canada is ready to build a coalition of like-minded countries that share its values, that believe in international co-operation, and the free and open exchange of goods, services, and ideas,” the King read. “In this new, fast-evolving world, Canada is ready to lead.”

Presumably, this coalition of like-minded countries, that share Canada’s values, will not include the U.S.  The U.S. is not currently exhibiting a belief in a free and open exchange of goods, services and ideas. Kind of, the opposite.

The King did not wear the crown and robe he wears when he gives a speech to open a session of the British Parliament.  His apparel was suitably conservative.  Except for the display of military medals pinned to his blue suit jacket, one might have thought he was an ordinary businessman.

Canada is, after all, sovereign. A crown might have been overdoing it.

That’s another thing we don’t have in the U.S.: leaders who wear their military medals. You can formulate your own conclusions about that little fact.

The word “sovereign” appeared several times in the Speech. Canada has been thinking quite a bit about its sovereignty lately, in a way they hadn’t been for the past 100 years or so. Everyone has been assuming Canada was sovereign, while making an exception for the Throne sitting in the Senate chambers, and the requirement to have the King open each session of Parliament.

But the recent talk about “Canada, the 51st State” has got people feeling… Anxious?  Jumpy?  Worried?

Several sections of the Speech were delivered in French. This was a nod to the one-quarter of Canadians who speak French as their primary language. But it was also a way to confuse any U.S. politicians who may have been trying to follow the Speech online. I’m not assuming any U.S. politicians were following the Speech, but just in case, the King was able to say things in French that he might hesitate to say in English. And it was probably easier to say those things in French, because they have words that we don’t have.

There was one particular statement, the likes of which we would never hear from a U.S. politician.  The King began the Speech by acknowledging Canada’s Indigenous people.

I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg people. This land acknowledgement is a recognition of shared history as a nation. While continuing to deepen my own understanding, it is my great hope that in each of your communities, and collectively as a country, a path is found toward truth and reconciliation, in both word and deed.

Ah, yes. Truth and reconciliation. Two more things we don’t have in the U.S.

Just before the King gave his Speech, a young woman entered the Senate chambers with a violin, and played what sounded like a European fiddle tune. Maybe a traditional British melody? In honor of the King and his wife, Queen Camilla?

I didn’t recognize the violinist, so I asked my three favorite AI platforms if they could tell me her name. They could not. So much for artificial intelligence. Ha!

Nor did the BBC announce her name when she performed. I found that a bit odd, considering that she was also wearing medals.

Some in the Lamestream Media have painted the King’s in-person appearance in the Canadian Parliament — after a 50-year respite — as a slap in the face of President Trump.  I hardly think that’s an accurate description.

More like a soft kick in the shins.