Article content continued

“Madame Clarkson is universally acknowledged to have transformed the office during her six years at Rideau Hall and to have left an indelible mark on Canada’s history.”

Now, for example, were a pirate reading this, this is the point at which he would let rip — “Well, shiver me timbers, that’s a bit much” — for even an unschooled marine brigand would lift an eyepatch at so generous a self-assessment. And even beyond the pirate class, mere ordinary citizens would likely call a halt at the same spot, and sadly conclude that Madame Clarkson was reading her career at Rideau Hall with too powerful or kindly a magnifying glass.

Photo by Wayne Cuddington/ Postmedia News

The full modern monarchy itself, Elizabeth II and all her fledglings, is but a shadow regency, as we should say, all shell and no turtle. The centuries have left it hollow in (almost) all function but the ceremonial. The vestige of it that we in Canada retain, more from tradition and courtesy than use, is then but the shadow of a shadow. I cannot see therefore how such a doubly void institution can be “transformed” by any given appointed occupant. What is there, in substance, to transform?

And from there to launch a claim that one’s tenure, as a surrogate, in a symbolic role, has or could leave an “indelible mark on Canada’s history” is to enter regions of fantasy best left to amateur novelists or professional used-car salesmen. As in Christmas festivities, one should never mistake the bauble for the tree.

On the matter of her expense-claiming over the 13 years since Madame Clarkson inhabited the role, people are correct in raising their eyebrows (in sync with their gorge) at the scale of sums claimed. The Post’s more recent account tells of charges, for single years, that breached the high-water mark of two hundred thousand dollars! I think we have shipbuilding projects that cost less.