Therese Casgrain

To the manor born.

A lot of people seem to be upset about Therese Casgrain being taken off the $50 bill, and about an award formerly given in her name being renamed The Prime Minister's Award.

I think the shocking thing was that she was on the $50 previously, and that public moneys were being given in her name.

Who was Therese Casgrain? A politician, and a lobbyist. I dislike the Canadian practice of honouring past politicians with public money generally: it is divisive. Most countries don't. But if you must, you should at least choose someone from the relatively distant past, who held a relatively important post. A prime minister, say, at a bare minimum. Then you can make a stab at balancing it politically.

But Therese Casgrain, as a politician, despite seven tries, was never elected to any public office. And she died only in 1981.

By that standard, if there is to be any political balance here, there must be millions of former politicians who must also be so honoured. For which, of course, we do not have the tax dollars available.

Imagine how it would feel for a dedicated conservative politically to find himself given the “Therese Casgrain Award.” The name itself would diminish the honour, as it would imply that he endorsed her ideas. Including things like nuclear disarmament and the nationalization of key industries. All very well if the award is given by a private foundation. But should public money be used in this context? If it is, it implies that the Canadian taxpayer also endorses all these things. If he/she did, why was Casgrain never elected?

Or do our masters know better than we do?

Honouring a lobbyist is even more troubling. There have been thousands, millions of lobbyists, lobbying for thousands of special interest groups. To honour any of them and not all the others is to violate the fundamental doctrine that all Canadians are equal.

You want to argue that, in this context, “women's rights” is special? Then you are arguing that women are special. So much for equal rights.

Therese Casgrain is a poor choice, too, if you are trying to make out the bogus case that women have ever been an oppressed group. She was the daughter of a British knight who married rich. She never had to work a day in her life. I should be so oppressed.

Nor was she particularly successful in her career as a lobbyist. Under her supposed leadership, women got the right to vote in Quebec in--1940. It seems entirely probable, given that record, that Casgrain had a net negative effect as a lobbyist.

The government's solution is more honourable: call the volunteer award “The Prime Minister's Award.” Then at least over time it is politically neutral.

Though it would certainly be better to call it “The Governor-General's Award” and leave politics out of it entirely.