HuffPost Canada's "Backbenchers," Season 2, Episode 4: It turns out that the role of the Governor General is … General, Agree



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It is not often that the Governor General of Canada is in the headlines.

Of course, they will have a story or two to preside over a beautiful awards ceremony, but they do not exactly conduct the news cycle.

But for a few weeks this fall, we found ourselves talking not only about the current GG, but also about its predecessors, and not for the best reasons.

It all started at the end of September, when the National Post expressed concern and criticism that the current Governor General, Julie Payette, was not doing her job properly or was not participating enough in events.

The following month, the newspaper reported that former GG Adrienne Clarkson still charged taxpayers more than $ 100,000 a year since she left the role in 2005. She said you never really quit the GG game and that she was still witnessing many events that Canadians are yearning for. which is expensive. money.

The Canadian press

The governors general of Canada, past and present, made the headlines this fall, and not the right one.

And this forced Payette's predecessor, David Johnston, to release his expenses since the end of his duties. Spoiler Alert: He also spent tens of thousands of dollars.

Why Governors General – yes, it's actually governors general – be financed for life? What kind of real and practical power do they hold in addition to their ceremonial responsibilities? Why do we know so little about their decision-making process? Can we become the Governor General? Do they arrive at Facetime with the queen?

These are some of the burning questions we are trying to answer in the fourth episode of "Backbenchers," season 2. We explain to an expert why – and how – the role can be modernized and we walk in the past. Byng Affair, a real viral moment in the 1920s.

Watch the full episode built-in above.

Missed the last episode? Look here.

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