Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Royal propaganda

Spotted arriving at St. John's airport yesterday were a horse-faced woman with a 30-year-old hairstyle and a big hat, and an even-more-horsefaced man with large bat-like ears.

In other news, HRH Charles, Prince of Wales and his consort the Duchess of Squidgy began their tour of Canada. This is, one hopes, the last of a long string of royal tours inflicted on the Canadian people in an effort to persuade us that the monarchy is worth keeping. According to a recent public opinion poll, we are not convinced.

The focus this time is supposed to be on Canadian history and the military. The Right Charlie is colonel-in-chief of six Canadian regiments. In his speech yesterday he praised Canada for responding "with speed, with magnanimity and with great courage" when called upon, evoking the Somme, Beaumont Hamel, Ypres and Vimy Ridge.

Need I add that he included the obligatory reference to our role in Afghanistan? As "Call me Steve" Harper beamed his approval, Charles said [surely "read", ed.] "I know full well that they are serving with the greatest possible distinction in Afghanistan. In all cases, Canadians are bringing the light of freedom and justice to the darker corners of the world."

Ah yes...freedom and justice. We see so much of that in Afghanistan these days. On the weekend, for instance, the alliteratively-named Abdullah Abdullah, exercised his freedom to withdraw from the Afghan presidential election, thus sparing his supporters possible execution.

So good of the little prince to recognize the value of what we're doing there.

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