Some lulz from north of the border

[tridus.livejournal.com]

So today, Canada had a throne speech. That's where the new government lays out its plans. It's a very ceremonial event, where the Governor General sits in the throne and reads a speech in the (unelected) Senate, and guys with black rods go pound on the doors of the House of Commons to get them to stand outside and listen (since there isn't enough room for them in the Senate even if they were allowed past the door).

The media narrative at these things is supposed to be all about the agenda of the government. Instead it's about a young page who in the middle of the thing walked into the middle of it with a "Stop Harper" sign.

Part of the entertainment value here is that this happened in itself, but the rest is in this picture of it:



Here you've got the protester page. You have the appointed Governor General and his wife sitting in the thrones, and the Prime Minister in the tiny little chair to his left looking like a servant. The people on the floor in the Santa-esque outfits are the Supreme Court. Then there's the guy on the right with the black rod. Not seen in that picture but in attendance is the Mace.

Democracy sure is strange, eh?

Comments

[blue-mangos.livejournal.com]

Oh great. Like certain people around here didn't have enough to mock about Canada.

Also, that page kicks ass.

[tridus.livejournal.com]

Well I figure this one is amusing enough that it won't be your standard "oh its about Canada, everybody ignores it" type of post. :)

[laura.livejournal.com]

She was immediately fired.

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

So this is one of those things that is awesome because your side did it and not terrible because the other side did it.

[allhatnocattle.livejournal.com]

that page closed one career door with a slam. Any door that opens will smell like burning hemp.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

I see you aren't being fully honest. You neatly avoided the issue of the Canadian pledge to the Great Beaver, God and Creator, Lord of the Earth and Various Sundry Items.

[tridus.livejournal.com]

Ah, you got me. That's why only 2/3 of the Supreme Court is there. The other 1/3 is off administering the pledge. It's also why they wear red: that's the Great Beaver's favorite color for things that aren't trees.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

All hail the Various Sundry Items!

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

Tell me of this....Beaver

[soliloquy76.livejournal.com]

Thrones? Really?

[southwest]

Those certainly ain't some bar stools.

[udoswald.livejournal.com]

An unfortunate remnant of Canada's history as a member of tbe British empire. The Governor General is in place of the Queen when she's away.

[tridus.livejournal.com]

You don't expect the Queen's representative to sit in a chair like a common Prime Minister, do you?

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

Can you imagine how old that room smells?

[tridus.livejournal.com]

That's why the pages are all University students. It lowers the average age to below 70.

[allhatnocattle.livejournal.com]

not to mention all the old people smell. Senators and Supreme Court Justices are not youngsters.

[root-fu.livejournal.com]

Classy protest for once.

Is it me, or are some present dressed like gothic oompa loompas?

[tridus.livejournal.com]

Some of the outfits are pretty unique. The usher of the black rod has this weird bow on his back that you can't see in the picture.

Some of them also have those triangular hats you'd see at a historic village on public officials. At least nobody is wearing those white horsehair wigs the British do.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

See, we need some of that classiness here in the States! And maybe guards in 18th century garb, with powdered wigs too!

[404.livejournal.com]

That's a girl? Funny, I thought Canadian women were more like Celine Dion and not Rachael Maddow.

[http://users.livejournal.com/-wanderer-/]

Thank you for refraining from the term "Rachel Madcow."

[udoswald.livejournal.com]

I've never understood the pathological need among conservatives to insult the attractiveness of liberal women (especially since you said this out of the blue even though it has nothing to do with the discussion). You may not like that Maddow is a lesbian, or that she's liberal, but she is not an unattractive woman (oddly, I consider Celine Dion to be less than attractive. That has more to do with her voice though than her appearance).

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

How cute! She looks like a polite little Wednesday Adams.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Does that make Stephen Harper Uncle Fester, or Lurch?

[foolsguinea.livejournal.com]

Well, the Anglo-Saxon government culture traditions that have encrusted around democracy and not left are a bit odd, yes.

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

O_o