There’s an article in this week’s Economist about how great Adrienne Clarkson is and how much Canadians love her. The article is called “Madame Canada: A much-loved governor-general keeps things steady.”
Did I miss something? I don’t know anyone who particularly loves Madame Clarkson, but I do know many who fiercely dislike her and think she’s nothing but a waste of money. Here’s an excerpt from the article:
“Halfway through her five-year term she was earning extravagant praise from journalists for, in the words of one magazine, bringing ‘new purpose and pizzazz to the office.'”
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dispute that she has indeed brought some pizzazz to the GG’s office, and I certainly enjoy seeing her snappy little outfits. But, I think calling her “much-loved” is a bit of a stretch. To be fair, the Economist article points out (briefly, in the last graph) that she faced criticism for her rather large budget last year, but overall the article is almost fawning.
Am I wrong? Is the Economist right? Is Madame Clarkson a beloved Canadian figure? Does anyone out there have any stories to share about how the governor-general has touched your life?
http://economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=3273817