The King's Speech: "Canada has what the world needs and defends the values that the world respects"

 

 “Today, Canada faces another critical moment. Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination, and freedom are values which Canadians hold dear, and ones which the government is determined to protect.”
—King Charles III, delivering the Speech from the Throne

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— The Globe and Mail (@theglobeandmail.com) May 27, 2025 at 8:00 PM

Here is a gift link to this excellent Shannon Proudfoot column - it really gives you a feeling of what it was like to be there in the Senate chamber. The whole piece is well worth reading, but here are a couple of excerpts:
Shannon Proudfoot / The Globe and Mail (gift link)

King Charles delivers soaring poetry and gristly prose in Throne Speech to giddy Senate
...Once the royal couple entered, in a procession along with Prime Minister Mark Carney and various dignitaries, the whole room changed, the amorphous buzz of excitement narrowing into a collective beam of attention fixated on them.
“This is my 20th visit to Canada, spread over the course of more than half a century, and my first as sovereign,” the King said. “As I’ve said before, every time I come to Canada, a little more of Canada seeps into my bloodstream, and from there straight to my heart.”
At this, an audible, visible ripple of something warm and eager – approval, elation, gratitude? – rolled across the crowd. When you’ve spent months listening to a mad king say he wants to take over your country or at least destroy it, it’s heartening to hear a decent king say something different.
...with his final line, Charles earned his second audible murmur of appreciation from the Red Chamber, the collective emotional bookend to his opener about Canada living more in his bloodstream and heart with each visit he’s made to our shores.
“As the anthem reminds us,” the King of Canada said for the whole world to hear, “the true north is indeed strong and free.”

And next are some other good posts about the day:

I watched the pomp and ceremony yesterday when the King and Queen arrived, and today I watched the parade and ceremony with the Throne Speech. And you know, it was amazing. Not because it was the King and Queen. Not because of the occasion. Not because of the importance of it. Not because of any of the reasons you would think. But because it was Canada, and because it was Canada, there were not misbehaved people. There were no ugly protests - and yes there were protestors. There was ease, openness, cordiality, calm, politeness, respect, all those things we take for granted in Canada. The King and Queen, along with our PM and Govenor General, were walking in the open, laughing, speaking, shaking hands, stopping constantly to speak to people, waving, and listening. Because it was pomp without the aggression. It was Ceremony that included everyone. It was quintessentially Canadian. And I thank you -- all of you who were there in person -- for that. It was truly a wonderous thing to behold. And I don't know of any other place in the world -- perhaps the UK -- where this could have happened. So kudos to Canada.

- Susan Trott

Read on Substack

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Of course, Trump had to try to make the day all about him:

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Guys, we've got to think of a pejorative for Trump's Golden Dome, like we substituted Star Wars for SDI! Golden Combover?

— Cheryl Rofer (@cherylrofer.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 6:19 PM

I think Carney has made his choice already:

Carney says Canada is looking ... www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

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— Andreas 🇨🇦 Fella (NAFO) 💙 (@andreasor.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 9:31 PM

But getting back to the Throne Speech, it was Trudeau who stole the show in his own inimitable style:

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And remember this guy?

😂😂😂 "Poilievre followed the procession as he ran behind the crowd, occasionally jumping up so he could be seen, calling the King’s name." thebeaverton.com/2025/05/pier...

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— Bruce 🇨🇦 #elbowsup (@brobertson93.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 1:08 PM

Finally, a moment caught in passing:

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