Document:Steven Spell IBC interview

IBC: Thank your for sitting down with the IBC, your Excellency. First, could I ask how the first two and a half years as Governor-General have been.

SS: It's been absolutely wonderful. I've seen more, done more, and met more absolutely fascinating people than I ever would have dreamed of meeting.

IBC: Who would you say is the most interesting person you've met so far?

SS: I hope this isn't too trite, but I would have to say it's the Queen. She truly is a fascinating person. She has met and conversed with every Prime Minister of Ibagli, every Governor-General, every Speaker of the House, every Chief Justice. There are very few people who can say that. She has a wealth of knowledge about every one of her realms. I think that some people have this idea that since she doesn't live here, we're not on her radar screen. That's absolutely untrue. I'm extremely honoured to be able to represent her in Ibagli.

IBC: How often do you correspond with the Queen?

SS: Well, I think it's less often than some people might assume. Government House does send a weekly bag with state papers and briefings to Buckingham Palace every week or two, but there's not much of a personal component to her. I do write Her Majesty from time to time to give her my take on things-

IBC: Does she ever write back?

SS: She always writes back.

IBC: What does she say?

SS: [Laughs] Well, it's private correspondence.

IBC: Does she give you advice on how to handle things?

SS: I'll say this much, I think I said it earlier: She is incredibly knowledgable about Ibaglian affairs and affairs of other countries.

IBC: How often do you meet with Her Majesty?

SS: Unfortunately there's a distance factor involved. We are nearly antipodal from London. It's a very taxing trip each way. I was able to go to the palace before my installation, and we were fortunate to have her visit us here last June. I dare say the Prime Minister gets to see her more. He is on official business in London more often than I am, and he also attends Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings.

IBC: On the subject of the Prime Minister, how often do the two of you meet?

SS: I try to meet with the Prime Minister privately at least twice a month. I usually see him at least weekly in the course of Executive Council meetings.

IBC: What goes on at the meetings?

SS: I'm only involved with the Council once they've ironed things out and need to present them for approval.

IBC: What about the private meetings?

SS: I can't give any specifics, as they're confidential meetings, but in general we discuss current events and state business.

IBC: Is there any conflict with the Conservative government as a result of your former offices?

SS: [Laughter] I don't think I'd be any more likely to have a conflict with them than any other government.

IBC: The Prime Minister doesn't feel inhibited in telling you things, though?

SS: I hope not. You'd have to ask him to be sure, though.

IBC: How do you feel about the method of selection for the Governor-General?

SS: I think it works perfectly well.

IBC: You don't think there should be some accountability to Parliament or the electorate?

SS: There is accountability to Parliament. The government is required to maintain the confidence of the House of Commons. That ensures that the government won't go too crazy when selecting someone.

IBC: What about a direct election?

SS: I don't think electing the Governor-General is a particularly good idea. Having a mandate from the people could only lead to conflict between the Governor-General and his or her government. Imagine if we had an elected Governor-General during the — I don't like to call it a "constitutional crisis," because it's not a crisis if it's working the way it's designed — the political uncertainty in 2005 and 2006. It's not my job to swoop in with a mandate from the people and make sure that the government is toeing the lines drawn by opinion polls. It's my job to, in Her Majesty's stead, ensure the smooth functioning of government. I think that's also an issue with confirmation by Parliament. If a party openly opposed the ratification of a Governor-General, it could seriously impede that party's ability to work with Government House in the future. It would also create the illusion of partisanship where there is none.

IBC: Have you been following the recent political events in Canada?

SS: Definitely. I've always held a deep interest in their politics.

IBC: How do you feel about their Governor General's decision to prorogue Parliament?

SS: I don't think it would be appropriate for me to comment much on that situation as all of the actors are still in politics. I will say, though, that there were unique circumstances there that I'm sure Her Excellency took into account.

IBC: You were born in Canada, and you also were the High Commissioner there in the 1990s. What relationship do you have with the country.

SS: I try to visit Canada at least yearly. I was fortunate to be able to go on a state visit in 2007, as well.

IBC: Do you enjoy living in Government House?

SS: Absolutely. My office looks out right onto the Haphonia River towards the city. I'm surrounded by parkland and I have a great team working for me.

IBC: What would you say is the most important thing you do?

SS: The most important thing I regularly do would probably be investitures. That's the only time I really get to meet people and reward them for what they've given to the country. I meet people regularly at other engagements, but this is the only time they're really the center of attention. I also take a great interest in my role as Commander in Chief. I try to go across the street to the Citadel regularly and meet with the personnel there to see their take on things. I'm also Colonel of the Governor-General's Dragoon Guards, and I often attend functions related to that role. Later this year, for example, I'll be presenting them with a new guidon.

IBC: It's known that you're a fan of state ceremony—

SS: Yes.

IBC: What is your favourite ceremony?

SS: I don't know that I could pick one. It would probably be the Queen's Birthday Parade. It's the one time each year when my role as the Queen's representative is emphasized.

IBC: How often do you meet with other Pacific heads of state?

SS: Whenever a head of state visits us or whenever I travel abroad on the advice of the government. I was very fortunate to be able to attend the coronation of the King of Tonga in August. Nearly every Pacific leader was there.

IBC: Are there any foreign visits in the works right now?

SS: There are some tentative plans being worked on by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but no details are available yet.

IBC: Do you feel that your previous jobs qualify you for the office you hold now?

SS: I do. The most important job I think I held in that regard is Speaker of the House of Commons. Both jobs require many of the same skills, although now I'm not being looked to for on-the-spot judgment as much. My cabinet positions also help me to understand much of what goes on in the current government as far as procedure goes.

IBC: What do you think about the current situation in Fiji?

SS: I think it's very unfortunate. I hope that they are soon able to hold elections and end the cycle they've been in for the past two decades.

IBC: When you were the Speaker, what would you say was your most taxing moment?

SS: I think it was when the RIC came into the chamber. I was really quite startled by them coming in. I had to think quickly about how to deal with the situation. After a few minutes I was able to summon the words of William Lenthall when he refused to give members up to King Charles I.

IBC: Do you regret anything from that situation.

SS: I certainly regret that it happened. After it was over I made sure that the House knew that my action should not be construed as giving them a safe haven from prosecution. It was the manner in which the raid was undertaken that I objected to. The rules of the House state that the Speaker should be informed of all police action within the precincts of the House. I don't know if I would give Lenthall's speech again, though.

IBC: Why not?

SS: I think it lent itself to the idea that I was allowing members to use the House as a hiding place. The member in question certainly was trying to use it as a hiding place. I think that after two weeks of him sitting within the precincts of the house and causing the public view that not enough was being done to stop his sit-in, I just added fuel to the fire by using words from a revolution.

IBC: Previous Governors-General have all regularly attended church. Do you?

SS: No, I don't.

IBC: You also didn't give prayers in the House of Commons.

SS: That's correct. One reason was that I was elected to be an MP, not a clergyman. Another was that I don't think it would have been correct of me to give a prayer. I didn't want to insult the other members.

IBC: Why would they have been insulted?

SS: I wasn't a particularly religious person at the time. I'm still not. I didn't think they would like the idea of someone who didn't believe the words saying something so important to them. I let other members give an informal prayer, though, so I don't think very many people were upset.

IBC: You're also the first unmarried Governor-General. Do you think that you're getting along well without someone else to help entertain guests?

SS: I think so. If I ever need assistance, there are plenty of people who can help in that regard.

IBC: Have you ever considered marriage?

SS: I've considered it, yes. Unfortunately it takes two to consider it for it to work out. [Laughter] I've never really had time for that, though. I was elected to Parliament at a young age and I was directly involved in Parliament until 1994. Then I worked with the Monarchist League until Hapalnia and now this.

IBC: What did you do in Hapalnia?

SS: My role was to ensure a smooth transition from British control to Ibaglian control. I think it went over quite well. It was similar to my current role, in that I represented the Queen, but I had a much more hands-on role there. After the transition, I also had to represent the Ibaglian government to the local government and ensure that actions taken by the Hapalnian government didn't clash with Ibaglian parliamentary authority.

IBC: A biographer of Prime Minister Hunter wrote in his book that you were considering joining the Conservative Party in the Senate-

SS: I don't know where he heard that.

IBC: So it's not true?

SS: It's a private matter.

IBC: You don't have any comment?

SS: Since I wasn't appointed to the Senate, I don't think discussion of the matter would be fruitful.

IBC: Wouldn't that have been a big blow to the Liberals, though?

SS: I don't see why that would be the case. I hadn't been a member of the party for nine years at that point.

IBC: But still-

SS: I left the party in 1985. I stopped going to caucus meetings then and I never went back.

IBC: Would it be fair to say you had a separation from the party after John Forton won the leadership?

SS: I don't think so. I certainly had a less-active role after 1982, but that was because I had gone from leading the party to being a backbench opposition MP. There wasn't much to do.

IBC: Do you regret not winning the leadership?

SS: I think everyone wonders what might have been, but I think it's worked out well for me.