Random thoughts

So, a few provinces -- including Alberta and the true-blue, traditional Ontario -- have rejected declaring the day of the Queen's funeral a statutory day of mourning.  It'll be business-as-usual.  

How does this make any sense in a country with The Monarch as its Head of State, represented by the Governor General and Lieutenant Generals in all provinces?  It doesn't.  But this is what happens when you eliminate Civics in Canadian classrooms; those running it have no clue how their own governments work.  Think about it.  If we are not granting a day to mourn our Head of State nationally and in all provinces, then we should not have The Monarch as our Head of State.  That would necessitate the eliminating all Royal representatives in this country.  No GG and no LGs.  Goodbye.

But, of course, this will not happen because that would mean opening up the Constitution Act of 1982 to amend it and that will not be happening.  To do so requires the adoption of identical resolutions in both the House and Senate, as well as the approval of two-thirds of provincial and territorial assemblies, representing at least 50 percent of the population.  Just to patriate it in 1982 -- akin to moving it from one filing cabinet to another -- took years of federal/provincial wrangling and fighting over jurisdiction and money because if you open it up to one amendment, you open it up to anything and everything anyone wants to table.

A real Pandora's Box of a dog's breakfast.

So, since we will not be amending the constitution, The Monarch will remain Canada's Sovereign and Head of State.  Period, the end.

Watching the coverage of the Queen's funeral processions and preparations it is clear no one does it like the Brits.  The attention-to-detail, rigour and precision are unmatched.  And it was jaw-dropping and nail-biting as one watched the eight soldiers and guards carrying her heavy, oak, lead-lined coffin.  "What if they drop it, Grandma?  The Queen would fall out dead," said granddaughter, echoing a few of my own fears as the young men of the bearer party moved slowly and purposefully along.

As Her Majesty rested atop the bier in Westminster Hall, my heart went to the sentries on its four corners, who stand in watch, immobile for six hours in each shift.  Six hours!  Can't even feature going an hour-and-a-half without a "comfort" break, as it is called.  

And speaking of "comfort" breaks, what about those who sleep and stand in queues for hours and hours?  How does that work?  (You can clearly see how my bizarre mind works.)

We now await the funeral, one of the most solemn and sad ceremonies we will ever witness.  God Save the King.