Paul and Carol Quist in Rome
Our most sincere congratulations to Paul Quist – one time ELCA pastor and graduate of the Melbourne John Paul II Institute – upon passing his STL examination in Rome. I trust Paul and his wife Carol will now be able to enjoy the delights of Rome in full!
I propose that
1) We replace the absentee monarch of Australia (who is also the Monarch of Great Britain) with an elected Australian monarchy.
2) The elected monarch exactly replaces the current monarch in the current constition.
3) The elected monarch has exactly the same powers, duties and responsibilities as those of the current absentee monarch. All the monarch's functions are carried out by his/her personal representatives (as is currently the case): federally by the Governor General, and in the states by the State Governors.
4) The Governor General and the Governors continue to be selected and appointed as they currently are, that is, by the premier with the approval of the monarch.
5) The monarch is elected to sovereignty over Australia for life, but his/her sovereignty is strictly non-hereditary.
6) The elective body is the "college of electors" comprised of the state governors and federal governor general.
7) The election of the monarch must be a unanimous decision on the part of the college of electors.
Excellent! The Quists, parents and children, are quite the nicest people I know: Canadians are great folk.
Canadians are great folk.
Ya…the Greek tour guide in the movie My Life in Ruins said the same thing. I must have seen that movie 5 times now…in flight entertainment….
I must say, in response to Dixie, that while I was in Rome a few months ago, I found out why tour guides and the locals like Canadians (and Australians) so much – the American tourists were loud, gauche, complaining and rude, proving the stereotype all too true – and hence everyone else was welcomed by comparison. In one place, the waiter was initially difficult to deal with – but apologized once he learnt I wasn’t a Yank!