Tonstant Weader frowed up

Via eye mag, the Oct. 31 Maclean's features this coverline: "Showing some leg in Winnipeg: Inside Michaëlle Jean's first week." Yes, that's a reference to the calves of our head of state, the governor-general of Canada.

There's pride in oneself and in one's homegrown newsmagazine, and there's enough is enough. Excerpts: "'I hate shopping,' says Michaëlle Jean. 'I do it all in one day, power shopping.' But she loves clothes. After three days of intense governor-generalling in Winnipeg, Jean plops down on a sofa in the front room at the Manitoba lieutenant governor's house, tucks her high-heeled shoe up underneath her thigh, lets out an exhausted sigh, and happily gabs about fashion. 'I do wear a lot of Canadian designers,' says Jean, citing Philippe Dubuc, Michel Desjardins, Harricana, Marie Saint Pierre. 'But I have to confess that I also buy from French designers when I go to France. I try to dress as simple as possible, but very feminine too. I'm proud to be a woman, I enjoy it.'

"Just watch Her Excellency walk, and you'll see what she means. Even in her most formal duties, such as inspecting the honour guard, Jean moves with a sultry swagger, shoulders back, arms and hips a-swinging. This looseness, this sexiness, helped draw Winnipeggers to the 48-year-old bombshell last week, when she and her 61-year-old filmmaker husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, made their first official visit, to Manitoba....

"Winnipeggers responded to Jean as if she were Angelina Jolie, not a mere vice-regal."

Let's move right along: "Jean" (also as in Chretien) is my fave Frenchie monicker, because 90 percent of anglo newscasters mangle its pronunciation, seemingly purposefully giving Quebeckers the final proof that separation from Canada is the only possible answer. One Jean, followed by another. Accident, or conspiracy?

And finally.... Speculation on Michaelle Jean's successor has already begun! From Janet, the most entertaining idea so far: "I'm sure I'm not the first to think that Ann-Marie Macdonald might be the next governor-general. Keep the telejournalist streak alive, and a lesbian to boot! Gee, will she need to get married, or has she already?"