TOUCHDOWN: G-G’S GOT HEART

Veritas Team Huddle Compiled By Whitney Shanfield
The relevance of the role of the Governor-General has long been debated by Canadians. But in this week’s controversial Huddle we are looking beyond Michaelle Jean’s job description and focusing on the communications behind her decision to take part in an Inuit seal-eating ceremony, an act with a message that wasn’t spoken, but heard loud and clear. On the first day of a week-long visit to the Arctic, Jean tasted a piece of seal heart in a traditional gesture of solidarity with the community. Now, amidst predictable criticism from animal activists and accusations of having “blood lust,” Jean has maintained her support for a unique Canadian community and their way of life, to the point of subsequently announcing her intention to take part in a traditional seal hunt. In an interview with the Canadian Press, Jean stood by her actions, making clear that she was fully aware of the context at play, and she reinforced her support for the Inuit tradition with strong, savvy sound bites that took up the better part of the article. During a time when a serious battle is being waged over the slaughter of seals for retail purposes, the Veritas team says a Touchdown goes to the Governor-General for standing true to her message and breaking through with gutsy yet sincere words and actions. As a National Post editor put it, “this is the kind of rare act of a public figure that goes down in history as an example of being able to reach out and touch the pulse of the nation … Ms. Jean showed solidarity with her people, cementing the foundation that she has Canada’s best interests ‘at heart’.”