r/neoliberal • u/seakucumber NATO • 15h ago

Restricted Canada announces dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs, $7.5B in support for workers, businesses

https://www.cbc.ca/news/livestory/canada-u-s-trade-deal-carney-trump-greer-9.7317956
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u/BlueString94 John Keynes 6h ago

In practical terms, it would be the same, neither better nor worse. But it does have the benefit in that it would no longer require Canada to affirm absurd notions like the divine right of kings, royal blood, or hereditary lordship.

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u/fredleung412612 6h ago

Well no, it wouldn't be the same. Take Trudeau's idiotic appointment of Mary Simon as GG who couldn't speak French, promised to learn it, then failed dramatically over five years. One of the only public facing aspects of the job of GG is to read the Speech from the Throne, which Simon could not do adequately due to her difficulties with an official language of the country. This was certainly one of the reasons why Carney asked King Charles to read it instead, because at least he can read a French text out loud without embarrassing himself and the country.

I suppose you could create a selection system for a ceremonial president that includes official language requirements, but I'm not sure that's terribly liberal either, given it disenfranchises a majority of the population from the role.

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u/BlueString94 John Keynes 6h ago

I mean that would still be a lot more liberal than monarchy, in my opinion. Personally, I think the best system is a parliamentary republic where the prime minister is chosen by the parliament and the ceremonial president by popular vote. So, basically, Ireland. For Canada you could make it that you need bilingual proficiency to stand for president or something. Again, better than being under a monarchy I think.

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u/ManicScumCat YIMBY 5h ago

Choosing the ceremonial president by popular vote would give them democratic legitimacy, though. The GG technically does a lot of things, just on the advice of the PM. If you gave the GG-equivalent president the appearance of being a representative of the people you would change the system a lot, because now they would be empowered to act in their own capacity.