Governor General of Canada Julie Payette spoke at the Canadian Science Policy Convention and she made some controversial statements,

Her speech has attracted criticisms from people of faith and lovers of astrology for debunking their beliefs during her speech. While other claimed that she was simply exercising her right to free speech. The point of contention is that since she is the Governor-General her comments might have been inappropriate. The purpose of this article is to provide you with some background to make your own decision.

Who is a Governor General

The governor general is a vestigial role in Canadian politics. In theory, Governor General of Canada represents the Queen of England, and in theory, most of the powers and authority of the Queen have been delegated to the Governor General. In practice, the role of the Canadian Governor General is mostly symbolic and ceremonial. Technically, ceremonially Queen Elizabeth is supposed to fill that role, but it wouldn’t be possible for them to fill this role for all former colonies. The Governor General Seat has acted as an important envoy and diplomate in the past. Currently, the Governor-General is more concern with appearing at charity events and school openings.

Agent vs Representative

In the King-Byng crisis of 1926, the Governor General at the time (Byng) refused to call for general an election (with valid reason) when William Lyon Mackenzie King demanded he call for one. This led to a constitutional crisis at the time and marked the end of the Governor-General's powerful position in Canada politicals. A new role was codified for the Governor-General. Canada and some other British colonies, would be allowed to make their laws and govern themselves. The Governor General would only be a ceremonial representative; they wouldn’t be allowed to say no.

Understanding the role of the Governor-General

The actual nature of Canadian political procedure can be a little confusing and its history, although quite interesting, can be somewhat irrelevant. Today the role of Governor General is not as powerful as it used to be but the position holds a lot of gravity. Only several exceptional individuals have had the privilege of holding the role. Notable appointments have been Michelle Jean, who was a Haitian refugee, and the current Governor General, Julie Payette, who was a former astronaut.

Logically, this raises the question of whether Julie Payette should have made the comments that she did. Was she supposed to have given such straightforward opinions at a national convention? I’ll leave you the readers to form your own opinion, but there are two things which we have to point out.

The value of appointments

The governor general’s statement shows us the value of appointments. It is important to note that there is a significant difference between an appointed official and an elected politician. An elected politician must always consider their language due to the potential to be kicked out of office. In essence, they were elected to uphold the views of the people that elected them. Appointed individuals, on the other hand, can speak from the heart without fear of retribution. The person appointed has been selected due to the experience, wisdom, and their potential to offer new insights.

Climate change should not be ignored

While creationism is a mostly harmless thought, climate change is a pressing moral issue. Global warming is indeed real and a phenomenon that should be taken seriously. There have been several observations by credible scientists to show that greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are the primary driver. We can make the planet safer instead of avoiding the subject matter. The use of solar panels is one way to treat our planet right. The proofs are all around us with the spikes in our heated environment. People should be careful in placing the two together. We must work on reducing the impact of global warming rather than just dismissing its obvious effects.