John Lathrop Aimers is founder and former long-time Dominion Chairman of the Monarchist League of Canada. He is an educator by profession and taught at a succession of private schools until 2006. He is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States.
I suppose one could construct Madame Clarkson's very active involvement in these last few days and her coming to the ceremony as wanting to support the office and the institution in the face of some controversy that's been around Madame Jean, and a desire to be visible in support of her,
I think she was very astute, along with the prime minister and her other advisers, to recognize that to let this go unanswered would have, in the minds of many, confirmed their worst suspicions.
She connected with the military in a way I know they appreciate, not only the brass but the serving soldiers who saw someone who had made a point of getting to know them.
I think her overwhelming legacy is one of having made the office of Governor General visible and engaged in a way that it certainly hadn't been in at least a generation, if not more.
It's a symbolic act on her part recognizing that the person who represents the Queen as the commander-in-chief of the Canadian Forces doesn't want to be in a position where anyone might say she has divided loyalties. I don't believe for a second she would have had them, but symbols are important.