leonardcohenforum.com

Leonard Cohen for Governor General
By Jeff Rybak | April 11th, 2010 | 12:08 am
Filed Under: Blogs • Rybak's Rules

The Facebook campaign

We take it for granted today that social media is a force to be reckoned with – with students and younger folks leading the charge. It’s really amazing how fast this new reality took hold. I had my stint in student politics from 2003 to 2006 and I never leveraged social networking for that. It all came later. Well, I’m all socially networked now. But I still haven’t tried to use it to make a real point yet. Maybe I haven’t had a truly original point to make until now. Now I think Leonard Cohen should be our next Governor General.

For those who haven’t heard, Stephen Harper recently announced that he would not be recommending Michaelle Jean for a second term as Governor General. Although the Governor General is nominally the Queen’s representative, in actual practice it will be the Prime Minister’s decision as to who is appointed. This decision is effectively one that Mr. Harper can unilaterally make, but all kinds of practical constraints intrude. It has to be someone who won’t embarrass either the nation or Harper’s party. And for all that the Governor General may be very important for a brief time in some constitutional crisis (prorogation anyone?) the odds of this happening again any time soon are so long that it isn’t worth buying a lot of negative press with an unpopular choice. So where does that leave us? This is politics played in the theatre of public opinion. And this is what social media was made for.

So here is Leonard Cohen for Governor General – The Facebook Campaign.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wal ... 6982005770
And really, why not? He is respected and even revered both internationally and domestically. He is fluently bilingual and is gladly claimed by both French and English Canada. He loves our nation in the quiet way only true Canadians understand. He is spiritual and morally centered without pushing his faith on anyone else. He’s a heck of a good choice in every respect, save perhaps that he’s probably too smart to get suckered into the job. That, and he makes a much better income on stage.

But leaving aside the unlikeliness of the choice, does having a bunch of people in a Facebook group really prove anything? I don’t know. I waffle back and forth on this one. But I do believe in the power of an idea. And social media gives me the power to turn a quip over breakfast into a potentially national movement to draft this man into office. And that’s pretty cool. If enough people join maybe we can actually get his name in the mix. Who knows?

What really matters, more than anything, is that we demonstrate to the government that we are indeed still watching. We care who represents our nation, even in a role that is often just ceremonial. Our choice for Governor General sends a message about who and what we are as a nation. The message I’d like to send to the world is that we’re a nation not afraid to be led by a poet.
—-

Questions are welcome at jeff.rybak@utoronto.ca. You can also follow me on Twitter.

However I would rather have him give concerts than attend official ceremonies and, as they say, he is too smart to take the job.
Darling

He is respected and even revered both internationally and domestically. He is fluently bilingual and is gladly claimed by both French and English Canada. He loves our nation in the quiet way only true Canadians understand. He is spiritual and morally centered without pushing his faith on anyone else. He’s a heck of a good choice in every respect, save . . .
. . . We care who represents our nation, even in a role that is often just ceremonial. Our choice for Governor General sends a message about who and what we are as a nation. The message I’d like to send to the world is that we’re a nation not afraid to be led by a poet.

Yes, we're serious! At least we're serious about the point we wish to make. Read the group info, share your thoughts and ideas, and definitely invite all your friends!

This group exists to promote the idea that Leonard Cohen would make an ideal choice to be Governor General of Canada. He is respected and even revered both internationally and domestically. He is fluently bilingual and is gladly claimed by both French and English Canada. He loves our nation in the quiet way only true Canadians understand. He is spiritual and morally centered without pushing his faith on anyone else.

Is this realistic? Likely not. Mr. Cohen is probably too wise to accept the job even if it were offered to him. But endorsing Leonard Cohen as a candidate still sends a message about who we want to represent our nation as Governor General. Not a cynical choice. Not a politically expedient choice. But a choice that reflects our true pride as Canadians in who and what we are. A nation not afraid to be led by a poet.

Let's send a message to Mr. Harper that ordinary Canadians do care who leads our nation, even in a largely ceremonial role. And we've been reminded lately that our Governor General is still very much more than a figurehead, under the right circumstances. This may not be an election but it can certainly be a public issue. If we're to have a new Governor General, it should be the one that we want, and not the one that's foisted off on us.

Yes, we're serious! At least we're serious about the point we wish to make. Read the group info, share your thoughts and ideas, and definitely invite all your friends!

This group exists to promote the idea that Leonard Cohen would make an ideal choice to be Governor General of Canada. He is respected and even revered both internationally and domestically. He is fluently bilingual and is gladly claimed by both French and English Canada. He loves our nation in the quiet way only true Canadians understand. He is spiritual and morally centered without pushing his faith on anyone else.

Is this realistic? Likely not. Mr. Cohen is probably too wise to accept the job even if it were offered to him. But endorsing Leonard Cohen as a candidate still sends a message about who we want to represent our nation as Governor General. Not a cynical choice. Not a politically expedient choice. But a choice that reflects our true pride as Canadians in who and what we are. A nation not afraid to be led by a poet.

Let's send a message to Mr. Harper that ordinary Canadians do care who leads our nation, even in a largely ceremonial role. And we've been reminded lately that our Governor General is still very much more than a figurehead, under the right circumstances. This may not be an election but it can certainly be a public issue. If we're to have a new Governor General, it should be the one that we want, and not the one that's foisted off on us.

if you read what ---- said about this campaign

bridger15 wrote:

if you read what ---- said about this campaign

I have and it is still gibberish and he knows it. He is playing around for fun and has achieved his goal, his own 15 minutes of fame. And all those willing participants are willing to repeat his name, which is what he wants. The only radar in which he is interested, is his own. He is probably already "dining out" on this prank.

For those who haven’t heard, Stephen Harper recently announced that he would not be recommending Michaelle Jean for a second term as Governor General. Although the Governor General is nominally the Queen’s representative, in actual practice it will be the Prime Minister’s decision as to who is appointed. This decision is effectively one that Mr. Harper can unilaterally make, but all kinds of practical constraints intrude. It has to be someone who won’t embarrass either the nation or Harper’s party. And for all that the Governor General may be very important for a brief time in some constitutional crisis (prorogation anyone?) the odds of this happening again any time soon are so long that it isn’t worth buying a lot of negative press with an unpopular choice. So where does that leave us? This is politics played in the theatre of public opinion. And this is what social media was made for.

Writer and commentator on post-secondary issues, lecturer at U of T Scarborough, sometime corporate director, and law student (almost done).

Wednesday, April 14, 2010 1:49 PM

First Manhattan, Then Rideau Hall for Leonard Cohen?

By: Jane Taber


Singer and poet Leonard Cohen sits down for lunch at his home in Montreal on April 28, 2007.

Hallelujah, hallelujah. A Facebook group has sprung up touting Leonard Cohen – singer, songwriter, author and poet – as the country’s next governor-general.

So far, the Montreal-born Mr. Cohen, who has been described as a fringe figure in Andy Warhol’s Factory crowd and has lived in a Buddhist retreat during his long career, has 917 supporters.

Compare this to Preston Manning, the former Reform Party leader, who is also being pushed for the job on another Facebook group. He has 481 supporters.

“This group exists to promote the idea that Leonard Cohen would make an ideal choice to be Governor General of Canada,” say the singer’s Facebook proponents. “He is respected and even revered both internationally and domestically.”

It is noted that he is “bilingual and is gladly claimed by both French and English Canada.” He is also a Companion of the Order of Canada.

(Although Mr. Manning may have the political chops he is not bilingual. And popular - and populist - though he may be, Alberta songwriter k.d. Lang never covered one of his songs as she did Mr. Cohen’s Hallelujah.)

At 75, Mr. Cohen attracts fans and followers from all age groups. Indeed, the creator of the online campaign to get him to Rideau Hall is a University of Toronto grad student, Jeff Rybak.

“I'm a fan of Cohen's work, yes, but not a rabid one,” Mr. Rybak told The Globe. “What I appreciate most about him is that he's an artist who's succeeded for the right reasons, without compromising his work, without making efforts to be commercial.

“He's tremendously influential within the music world and in literary circles, but most people are more likely to know a cover version of his work rather than his own recordings.

“And he's fine with that. His attitude towards major success, which came late in his life, seems somehow Canadian to me. I appreciate his modesty.”

He said that he devised this scheme after “one of those random discussions” with a friend.

“A few names were batted around and I said Leonard Cohen, because I like him, yes, and appreciate his role as an unlikely Canadian icon. But then after thinking about it for a bit I realized he really is a good choice. And thinking about it some more, I realized he's an ideal choice.”

The issue of Michaëlle Jean’s replacement has been in the news for the past couple of weeks in the wake of reports Prime Minister Stephen Harper is not planning to extend her term. Ms. Jean will have been Governor-General for five years in September, the usual tenure for the position.

There have been all sorts of speculation for replacements, including hockey commentator Don Cherry, spinal cord research activist Rick Hansen and even hockey great Wayne Gretzky.

And Mr. Harper has an opportunity with her replacement to make his very first viceregal appointment. Ms. Jean was appointed by former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin. The last time a Conservative appointed a governor-general was Brian Mulroney in 1990 when he named Ray Hnatyshyn to the post.

The Cohen-for-GG Facebook group argues it’s time for the public to get behind their choice rather than have someone “foisted” on them.

It’s acknowledged that this choice may not be entirely realistic as Mr. Cohen is “probably too wise to accept the job even if it were offered to him.”

“But endorsing Leonard Cohen as a candidate still sends a message about who we want to represent our nation as Governor General,” the group says. “Not a cynical choice. Not a politically expedient choice. But a choice that reflects our true pride as Canadians in who and what we are. A nation not afraid to be led by a poet.”

(File photo: Charla Jones/The Globe and Mail)

Leonard Cohen
Facebook's New Pet Cause: Leonard Cohen For Governor General

04/14/10 4:16pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

Leonard Cohen's one of this country's most beloved songwriters, poets and novelists, and his career is over 50 years in length.

The 75-year-old Montreal native has won the Governor General's award for his poetry, is a Companion of the Order Of Canada, has been inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and won a lifetime achievement Grammy Award this year.

Now, a Facebook group has been set up stating Cohen should be made Canada's next Governor General.

The group already has about 1,300 members. Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper has recently said he won't extend Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean's term when it ends in September, so that means he'll have to find a replacement.

"Mr. Cohen is probably too wise to accept the job even if it were offered to him," a description reads on the Facebook group, which points out Cohen is the "ideal choice" to be Canada's next Governor General since he's bilingual and has contributed a great deal to Canada's culture.

"But endorsing Leonard Cohen as a candidate still sends a message about who we want to represent our nation as Governor General. Not a cynical choice. Not a politically expedient choice. But a choice that reflects our true pride as Canadians in who and what we are. A nation not afraid to be led by a poet.

"Let's send a message to Mr. Harper that ordinary Canadians do care who leads our nation, even in a largely ceremonial role. And we've been reminded lately that our Governor General is still very much more than a figurehead, under the right circumstances.

"This may not be an election but it can certainly be a public issue. If we're to have a Governor General, it should be the one that we want, and not the one that's foisted off on us."

In Canada, the Governor General serves as the Queen's representative as head of state. The position is largely ceremonial, but the Governor General has the power to prorogue and dissolve Parliament and give royal assent to bills that pass through Parliament and the Senate.

Cohen will again spend the early fall on tour, playing dates throughout Europe. You can see him here:

July 25 Zagreb, Croatia @ Arena Zagreb
Sept. 15 Caen, France @ Zenith
Sept. 17 Grenoble, France @ Palais Des Sports
Sept. 19 Strasbourg, France @ Zenith
Sept. 21 Marseille, France @ Le Dome
Sept. 23 Tours, France @ Parc Des Expositions
Sept. 25 Lille, France @ Zenith Grand Palais
Oct. 4 Katowice, Poland @ Spodek
Oct. 7 Moscow, Russia @ Kremlin Palace
Oct. 13 Bratislava, Slovakia @ Incheba Expo Arena