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A Right Royal Cock-Up
No nukes is bad news
Royalism of the day
Ségolène Royal, France's socialist presidential candidate, is now subject to more harsh words from Canada. In plain terms, she has provoked what used to be called a 'diplomatic incident'.
According to the respected Canadian national newspaper, The Globe and Mail, Canada's prime minister, Stephen Harper, has issued a statement questioning the "wisdom" of Ms Royal. In the genteel world of Canadian diplomacy, this is about as close as one can get to describing Mme Royal as "a headcase."
Opposition Liberal leader Stephane Dion has said to correspondents, in Quebec, that Ms Royal's comments have "hurt her credibility".
The furore revolves around Ségolèle Royal's recent utterance, made in Paris, that it was her view that Quebec should have its own "sovereignty".
Even The Times of London, not generally concerned with affairs in the senior member of the Commonwealth, printed the headline: 'Canada tells Royal 'don't
interfere' over freedom for Quebec'.
The last word must be attributed to the news agency, Canadian Press: Ms Royal "has never visited Quebec".
Sub sinks Royal
Royal is facing more flak thanks to her uncertain grasp of France's military strength. A reporter on RMC-Info asked her how many nuclear submarines France had: She replied one. The hack corrected Royal, telling her it was seven. "Oh, yes, seven. Just testing," replied Royal (with words to that effect."
France has four submarines capable of launching nuclear weapons and six nuclear attack submarines.
