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The Governor General is a man of circumspection — an expert at never taking sides in anything.

As such, it was surprising to see him the subject of online vitriol, the result of his use of the ill-chosen word “immigrants” in relation to Canada’s indigenous people.

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The reaction was typical of Twitter, where inhibitions are shed and rude, aggressive behaviour flourishes, without consequence.

David Johnston had spoken on CBC Radio about Canadians being a people who look beyond the individual to the collective. This is thanks in part to Canada’s history of immigration, he said, “going right back to our, quote, indigenous people, unquote, who were immigrants as well, 10, 12, 14,000 years ago.”

He apologized Monday at an investiture ceremony where he bestowed honours on 29 indigenous advocates — including Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie — saying that he misspoke. “The indigenous people are the original peoples of this land,” he said.