May 2004

ister before going to the Queen for
ratification. Constitutional law only
lists the latter as legally necessary, but
like so much else with this office, the
appointment process changes to
accommodate the political winds of
the day.

Aside from Newfoundland (which
is still waiting), British Columbia was
the last province in Canada to get a
female Lieutenant Governor, a fact
that Campagnolo is quick to point
out. “I was active in the feminist
movement throughout most of my
adult life, and worked hard in certain
areas to see that women were accept-
ed as equals in society, and that the
laws were changed to accommodate
our access into every part of public
life and otherwise,” she says. “It was
significant to me that of the 27
Lieutenant Governors, it was almost
140 years before a woman received
this post here in British Columbia.
And of course, I’m always conscious
that if I do the job badly it will reflect
on my gender and that other women
will suffer. So I have to attempt to do
as good a job as is humanly possible
under the circumstances.” No small

task to be sure, but Campagnolo
seems up to it. Already she has imple-
mented a feminine touch to the
office, even creating her own stylish
feminine “uniform” to replace the
antiquated (and decidedly masculine)
colonial outfit of gold-braid and
black tails.

With regards to the recent contro-
versies swirling around her fellow
vice-regal, Governor General
Adrienne Clarkson, Campagnolo
says, “I think that Adrienne Clarkson
is probably the best Governor
General we've had to this point,
because she is probably one of the
most intellectual and articulate lead-
ers of thought that I have seen in the
post. She is using the post extremely
well to embrace the whole panorama
of what we are as Canadians. She has
almost single-handedly, I think,
brought about a new appreciation for
Canada’s military in the context of
our society. She has been there when
the great tragedies have occurred, and
she has focused so well.” Though she
admits there are always “costs

attached to these offices,”
Campagnolo nevertheless sees a
strong benefit in preserving the posi-
tion of governor general, stating that
having a head of state with no politi-
cal power enables that person to rep-
resent all parts of society, not just
what he or she happens to ideologi-
cally connect with.

As a long-serving former politician,
occupying what is supposed to be a
strictly non-partisan office is “a diffi-
cult process,” says Campagnolo,
because there are areas of principle in
which she is engaged. “The constitu-
tion is very clear. I could not enter,
for example, into discussion with the
premier about his policy directions.”
While she acknowledges her speeches
carry an “admittedly centrist perspec-
tive,” she quickly points out her per-
sonal politics never interfere with her
most important state duties. “People
have said to me ‘why do you still do
the Speech from the Throne, pro-
rogue the house, or royal assent?” she
says, referring to her mandated con-
stitutional jobs. “It’s very important
that we do these things even though
they seem a bit archaic, because it is a

way of reminding the system—I, as
you noted have been as much a parti-
san as anyone else—that we have to
be responsible to the whole system.”
She is remarkably frank in acknowl-
edging some of the contemporary
problems the monarchy can present.
“While we have a monarch, we don't
really have a royal family,” she says.
“When Her Majesty travels abroad in
the world, she doesn’t travel as the
‘Queen of Canada’ she travels as the
‘Queen of Great Britain.”

Campagnolo extols the benefits of
our country’s division of powers, but
I press her on the republican issue,
stating that republic can take many
forms. Could we not continue all of
this without paying allegiance to a
foreign Queen?

“Yes, well that’s an ongoing debate
in Canada,” she says, perhaps with a
hint of exasperation. “All I can tell
you is that in the days when it used to
go before Mr. Trudeau, when I was in
cabinet, he would say ‘the system’s
not broken; it works very well. I sug-
gest we leave it that way.’ “Unless you

have an alternative,’ he used to say,
‘please, let’s move on to some of the
real issues of the day.”

I ask if she has much contact with
her royal boss in London. “No, not
frequently,” she says with a laugh.
“Her Majesty is sovereign of 16
nations. She is head of a 53-member
Commonwealth. So if all of us inun-
dated her every day, she'd have no
time for anything else.” Nevertheless,
Campagnolo points out that she and
Queen have repeatedly crossed paths
over the lengthy course of their
respective careers. Together they cele-
brated BC’s centennial in 1971,
presided over the 1978 Montreal
Olympics, and opened the University
of Northern British Columbia in
1994, back when Campagnolo was
serving as University chancellor.

She repeatedly expresses high
regard for the Queen, and even in
casual conversation, always refers to
the monarch as “Her Majesty.” “I
have enormous respect for her,” she
says. “She’s very intelligent and she’s
been 52 years in her role, so she
knows all the leaders of all the coun-
tries. She has this great political sense

and is quite free in how she speaks
personally, though she gives the
impression of being distant. She took
vows in 1952 that to her death she
would do her duty. And in my view,
she has. That’s really remarkable disci-
pline, and I greatly admire disci-
pline.”

As to the long-term survival of the
monarchy, Campagnolo admits it
may be too early to predict. “It
depends on what Canadians want,”
she says. “Is it going to be a primary
issue of concern or are there other
concerns that are going to take prece-
dence?” Unlike many monarchists,
she does not give the impression of
having a blind faith in monarchy. She
accepts the reality of an evolving
political climate. “’m not sure how
we will evolve,” she admits. “We've
done our bit in my time, and we will
in yours.”

As her aide returns to indicate that
my audience is up, Campagnolo
eagerly insists that before I go she
must show me some of her pictures.

She proudly takes me to the back wall

Features

of her office, lined with large framed
photographs chronicling her lengthy
political career. It takes me a few sec-
onds to realize that the pretty brown-
haired young woman in these pictures
is the same elderly vice-regal now
standing beside me.

There are pictures of Campagnolo
on Parliament Hill with Trudeau, in
Havana with Fidel Castro, in Ottawa
with the Pope, and of course, her
numerous audiences with the Queen.
It is hard not to be impressed. “I’ve
had a wonderful life,” she acknowl-
edges happily.

Inspired by my show of interest, she
turns to some of the other artifacts
that adorn her room. Native art is a
clear theme. She points to ceremonial
feathers given to her by various BC
tribes, and proudly recites her two
granted aboriginal names, Noltz whe
Neha or “Mother of the Big Fin”
from the T’Simpsean Nation, and
Saan Ag X’swa or “Person who Sits
High” from the Haida. Though she
admits she has troubles with the pro-
nunciation, her immense pride in
being acknowledged by these historic

nations is obvious. She shows me

British architecture, with high ceilings, chandeliers, and posh red carpets.

other .treasured objects, including
paintings, carvings, boxes, and blan-
kets. She carefully unveils the red,
white, and black Nisga’a flag, and
reflectively recounts her long history
of fighting for the Nisga’a cause.

From her days as a broadcaster, to
her days in cabinet, she never relent-
ed in her support of the BC tribe's
quest for self-governance. “One day
I'm going to fly this flag from the
pole,” she says, referring to the enor-
mous flagpole that sits outside her
mansion, flying her royal colors.
Certainly no one could accuse Her
Honour of harbouring a colonialist
mentality.

As our visit comes to a close, the
Lieutenant Governor can’t help but
give me a preview of what's yet to
come. “After I finish this, my next
cause will be the arctic sovereignty,”
she says proudly.

I laugh. “You're just getting start-
ed!”

“Well, it’s like I say, If God wills,”
she replies, smiling.

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