The lieutenant governor's whirlwind tour of the Sunshine Coast yesterday and today has proved to be surprisingly inspirational.
In England, some people question the need for maintaining an expensive royal family. In Canada, the governor general has attracted similar criticism for the expenses of her office.
The visit from Lt.-Gov. Iona Campagnolo was a welcome reminder that traditional, ceremonial occasions need not be empty anachronisms; they can be an opportunity for a community to show its best side and to honour its most cherished ideals.
The Sunshine Coast did just that as Chatelech Secondary School students offered their impressive musical and culinary talents for the lieutenant governor's enjoyment.
Ms. Campagnolo was touched by the environmental sensibilities shown at Halfmoon Bay Elementary School and Chatelech's commitment to the Peaceful Schools philosophy. Our young people did us proud.
And the lieutenant governor did the people of B.C. proud. When a student asked why she was visiting Halfmoon Bay, she replied that when she was growing up near Prince Rupert, no VIPs ever came to visit her school. When she became lieutenant governor, Ms. Campagnolo decided to visit every community in B.C. during her five-year term of office.
These are no junkets: she was working hard throughout her time here, visiting three schools, two municipal governments and two seniors' care homes in two days, making speeches, answering questions and listening to people's concerns. Throughout, she was gracious, approachable and inspiring.
When partisan politics divide the public and behaviour in the House of Commons and B.C. legislature becomes embarrassingly rude, it's good to have a non-partisan, ceremonial state representative with the class of Ms. Campagnolo - a dignitary with dignity.
