Vice-Regal Saint: Victory in British Columbia
Her Majesty's portrait returns to the fleet of BC Ferries
Times Colonist, Published: Wednesday, February 13, 2008
VICTORIA, B.C. - In the 1990s, B.C. Ferries decided that its new vessels would no longer be called Queens. Then it decided that portraits of Queen Elizabeth -- the head of state of Canada -- would no longer have a place on its ferries.
That raised the hackles of monarchists who believed that the removal of the portraits is an outrage. Others said they were Canadian, not British, and were just as happy to see the tribute to Her Majesty disappear.
The fuss over the portraits started a few days ago, during the tours of the new Coastal Renaissance at Ogden Point. A reporter who asked about a portrait of the Queen was told that one had not been placed on the ferry. Further, the portraits on older ferries were removed as the vessels went in for major refits.
The fact that the portraits had been disappearing since 2003 and nobody noticed is not the point. The fact that we don't see the Queen's portrait when we board a bus or an airplane is not the point either.
Whatever you think about the institution, the monarchy is something that is near and dear to many British Columbians. Those of us who live in Greater Victoria have strong thoughts, and one way or the other, we care about how the Queen is treated.
B.C. Ferries heard that message, loud and clear. The corporation has responded to this week's outcry by decreeing that the Queen will once again have a place of pride on its vessels.
That decision is sure to frustrate the anti-monarchists out there, but they don't have to look.
Also by the Times Colonist: Rule Britannia! Ferries to return Queen's portrait to vessels, Jack Knox
And: Protests force Canadian ferries to put Queen Elizabeth pics back up
Posts
1915.jpg){kind=small}
.gif)
.gif)
2 comments:
Great news from BC to see the pictorial presence of HM as Queen of Canada not restricted to HMCS, er, CFB Esquimalt. I think this is proof that monarchists (or small c conservatives, or the usually silent majorities) can get their points across, in keeping with marquis black’s recent post on these esteemed pages. Congratulations!
Off-topic (but just slightly) add-on: The so called point by the ferry spokesperson about removing the portraits on grounds of not being a public carrier any longer was clearly silly. I know pubs in Denmark, which show a picture of their Queen and they are certainly private enterprises!
As two of the linked Canadian news items referred to a recent poll on the Monarchy - I wonder if any of our Canadian contributors might at some time in the future enlighten about this or related surveys and their significance. Thank you.
This is great news for the people of Canada. In Australia once pictures of the Queen are removed it is next to impossible to have them put back, in fact one is openly laugh at for even suggesting it, so most of us just remain silent.
Post a Comment