Posted on 06/07/2004 8:56:21 PM PDT by ejdrapes
TORONTO - The governor general will represent Canada and a former prime minister will be a speaker at the state funeral of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan. Sources familiar with the funeral planning say Reagan's widow, Nancy, invited former prime minister Brian Mulroney to speak at the funeral, which is set for Friday in Washington. And the prime minister's office says Governor General Adrienne Clarkson will represent Canada at the ceremony. As of late Monday, Prime Minister Paul Martin was not planning to attend. In 1994, Reagan let the country know in a handwritten note that he had Alzheimer's disease. Mulroney and Reagan became close when they led their countries during the 1980s. Playing up their mutual Irish roots, they famously sang "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" on stage together at the so-called Shamrock Summit in Quebec City in 1985. Several honorary pallbearers for the funeral have also been chosen. Names on that list included Frederick J. Ryan Jr., board chairman of the Ronald Reagan Foundation; entertainer Merv Griffin, a family friend; Charles Wick, who ran the U.S. Information Agency during Reagan's presidency; White House adviser Michael Deaver; and the former president's longtime physician, Dr. John Hutton.Mulroney, Clarkson to attend Reagan funeral
Alright rack itttt
I hear about Merv Griffin be pallbearer and Michael Deaver not former Canuck PM
I thought soldiers would be the pallbearers? Anyway, I like the idea of Mulroney and Griffen as pallbearers.
Yes.
Adrienne Clarkson is a talentless hack. Thank God Mulroney will be there, representing the 1/3rd of Canadians that are actually good people.
I think Mulroney alone could represent Canada. The majority of Canadiens hate the Americans. Let them rot in their pathetic Socialist state and send a rare Canadien that is truly a friend of the US.
The governor general will represent Canada. ( Governor General Adrienne Clarkson)
The former Prime Minister will speak.
The honorary pall bearers were listed, but I didn't see his name there.
Nope. The GG is HRH Queen Elizabeth II's representative, the Queen being official head of state. Having said that, Her Majesty has more class, grace, wit, and sagacity in her dainty pinky finger than does the Governor General and her husband (John Ralston Saul) put together and multiplied a thousand times.
I agree with you there, but over the last couple of years my opinion of her was tempered by her support for the troops overseas- she's probably the only G-G since WWII to take the role of Commander in Chief seriously. Going to Afghanistan is something that neither Chrétien nor Martin would ever have the guts to do.
Not really. It would be more accurate to say that the overwhelming majority of Canadian jounalists and academics plus a significant number of Canadian politicians hate the Americans. Most of us like the Yanks but the majority, as always, is silent. Don't forget that the most popular PM in our history (Mulroney) was a strong friend of America and the greatest American president ever was a great friend to Canada.
Let's not forget about the future PM in Harper. ; )
<nitpickier pedantry="severe">That's Her Majesty The Queen.</nitpickier> 8-)
The majority of CanadiEns (ie Frogs) probably do.
I believe the majority of CanadiAns do not.
Griffin and Deaver, etc., are honorary. Soldiers and sailors will do the physical lifting...the casket weights 700 pounds and some of the honoraries are senior citizens!
Mulroney's (Canadian Conservative) political equivalent in the U.S. would be Walter Mondale.
It won't work. Martin's getting so outflanked by the NDP from the left and the Torries from the center that the Grits are being squeezed into minority party status. What a pity!
Why did he leave the G-8 summit early to go hide with his political advisors? It's not like he didn't know D-Day and the summit came in the middle of the campaign season when he called the election.
The Liberals look and sound desperate.
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