Our Queen Is Home

Today our Queen has returned to Canada for the 22rd time. Queen Elizabeth has been our head of state for nearly six decades. Her age was not an issue as she walked down the steps from her plane accompanied by her 90 year old husband. They looked great with her perfect poise and wonderful smile in a downpour as only Nova Scotia can have.

She will be touring Canada for a number of days and will help Canada celebrate the 100Th anniversary of our Navy and the 400Th anniversary of a famous chief of the Micmac Nation. The pomp and ceremony at Halifax would bring a tear to a glass eye as her majesty spoke to the people gathered to welcome her. Local artists sang and danced and the politicians had their photo ops. All in all I feel so close to the institution of the royal family and the stability it lends to our system of government I have an emotional melt down. The playing of the national anthems and the reviewing of the guard of honour makes me remember the debt we owe our service men and women who are dieing even now for their country.

Our system of government is not perfect but it the best we have and we owe so much to those who fought and died in it's defence. Our Queen heads a loose confederation of states called the Commonwealth of Nations and it embraces more than a quarter of the world's population. This group of countries once made up the British Empire but since nearly all the colonies have become independent without bloodshed ( the USA was an exception ) there remains a relationship unique in this world.

I feel good that our queen is back in Canada and remember in 1948 that she and Philip came to Sydney in the royal yacht Britannia and I stood close to them as they addressed the school children in Cape Breton. Since then I saw the queen several times and always treasured the moment. The royal presence is less important now because our immigrants are from countries where royalty is not respected in the same way as people from the UK.

I trust her visit will help us to be more united as she tours across Canada. If she comes close to Oakville I will be there cheering for our Queen.