A relative of mine sometimes sends me links to articles in the National Post, that he thinks will enlighten me and that I generally find appalling. But arguing about politics has kept both of us happily engaged for decades now, so I put up with it.
One recent article (I guess I must link to it) he mercifully did not send me, but which really is appalling, is a screed of abuse aimed at Governor General Mary Simon. For what? For spending taxpayers' money while representing Canada at home and abroad. The article throws around words like "luxury," "infamous" and "buckets of cash," without ever acknowledging that the Governor General never spends one cent. All her travel and all her expenses are authorized, directed, and paid for by the Government of Canada.
And such travel by Canada's head of state is valuable and important. Does the Post imagine the guy in Buckingham Palace is going to represent Canada when he travels the world?
I have previously noted the history of Canadians complaining of the cost of our country having its own head of state -- it goes back a long way. But the Post piece sets a new low in hackery. The paper should content itself with sticking to the climate change denialism that fills most of its pages.
(Hat-tip to Ottawa journalist Dale Smith, who took note of this nonsense.)
