3 ms·

Except that the Governor General actually does have some power and it's come up in practice: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Australian_constitutional_crisis

by FFP999 3y ago

Except that the Governor General actually does have some power and it's come up in practice: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Australian_constitutional_crisis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Australian_constitutional.... So the ability to hire and fire the Governor General at will is actually a pretty major power, even if it's only been used that one time.

bawolff 3y ago
I wouldn't say just that one time - well it didn't get to the level of the australia one, there have been recent times where governor general has mattered in canada. E.g. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020%E2%80%932021_Rideau_Hall_workplace_review https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020%E2%80%932021_Rideau_Hal... when it was unclear if payette would resign willingly or have to be fired. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%932009_Canadian_parliamentary_dispute https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%932009_Canadian_p... Still nonetheless i would consider these edge cases that only happen rarely.
- FFP999 3y ago
  I guess whether Canada or Australia want to be constitutional monarchies or not is up to them, and not my business being neither Canadian nor Australian, but it just seems strange to me for them to allow the monarch anything more than symbolic power. Then again, I live in Massachusetts, and historically we're...not huge on kings here.
  - bawolff 3y ago
    I mean, personally i kind of like it because it helps stop cults of personalities a little bit - when everything is done in the name of the (absent) king, people are less likely to form a cult around the PM who has real power. However i think most canadians just dont really care and it would be a big fuss to remove the king. Anytime anyone tries to change the canadian constitution everyone tries to get their interests in so its easier to just let sleeping dogs lie. See also https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meech_Lake_Accord https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meech_Lake_Accord

by FFP999 3y ago

bawolff 3y ago

I wouldn't say just that one time - well it didn't get to the level of the australia one, there have been recent times where governor general has mattered in canada. E.g. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020%E2%80%932021_Rideau_Hall_workplace_review https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020%E2%80%932021_Rideau_Hal... when it was unclear if payette would resign willingly or have to be fired. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%932009_Canadian_parliamentary_dispute https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%932009_Canadian_p... Still nonetheless i would consider these edge cases that only happen rarely.

FFP999 3y ago
I guess whether Canada or Australia want to be constitutional monarchies or not is up to them, and not my business being neither Canadian nor Australian, but it just seems strange to me for them to allow the monarch anything more than symbolic power. Then again, I live in Massachusetts, and historically we're...not huge on kings here.
- bawolff 3y ago
  I mean, personally i kind of like it because it helps stop cults of personalities a little bit - when everything is done in the name of the (absent) king, people are less likely to form a cult around the PM who has real power. However i think most canadians just dont really care and it would be a big fuss to remove the king. Anytime anyone tries to change the canadian constitution everyone tries to get their interests in so its easier to just let sleeping dogs lie. See also https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meech_Lake_Accord https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meech_Lake_Accord