Is my medical title valid in Canada?

Why doesn't Canada title its Governors General?

• I was reading an article about New Zealand, and their Governors-General are often styled with a title of "Sir" or "Dame". Why isn't this the same in Canada, which is equal to New Zealand as Commonwealth realms. One would think that the same rules would apply, and that the Governor-General of Canada would be given title by The Queen. We all know that Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are equal realms. So why is Canada denying itself this? I think it's entirely appropriate for a member of the commonwealth to give honours, it's a millennia old tradition in both English and French cultures. BTW, this is not a question asking for people to say "because it's stupid or unnecessary", my question is it is done throughout the commonwealth, and Canada being the most "British" and "French" of the major realms and former French colonies, in both culture and geographical location, why isn't this used to honour our former prime ministers, governors general as well as people who achieve great things? The answer is NOT "its' illegal", there have been periods of times when it was not done, but it never has been made technically illegal. If you need proof of this, read this, but the essential info is " even today the Governor General of Canada is actively involved in the creation of knights and dames ... His or Her Excellency presides over the Canadian branch of the Order of St John and confers knighthoods and damehoods on some of its members in ceremonies at which the Governor General performs the act of investing new recipients with their honour." So, why doesn't Canada follow the traditions of conventions of the majority of the Commonwealth follow? Bestowing honours to people like Terry Fox, Wayne Gretzgy, Mark Garneau, Vasu Chanchlani, Murray and Marvelle Koffler, etc is entirely appropriate. Canada allows the people who ran from the war in the colonies to put "UE" after their names, and pass that down to their descendants...how would this be different, except these people would have actually EARNED their titles?

• Answer:

  (Firstly, props for using the proper plural for Governor General. You'd be surprised how many ignorant people say "Governor Generals"...um, they are Governors, not Generals in the military! So you make the governor plural, not that he is "general" as in "over all", not a rank. Wish we'd still just use the title "Viceroy", as it sounds infinitely better, has the same function and doesn't confuse people who don't have the same grasp of the language as we do.) During a short-sighted era, some former colonies might have felt a need to over-compensate their new-found psuedo-independence, so eschewed some of the most enduring and recognisable parts of their culture, while paradoxically retaining a Queen as their head of state. Unforntunately, this resulted in many people who deserver Knighthoods or other titles from being granted such, which is a shame. As you pointed out, in many other modern, sophisticated members of the Commonwealth selectively use the honours to reward and title its most influential people and those that have achieved great things that allows them the humble right to be addressed as "Sir" or "Lady". Canada also erased the British Flag from their banner (although most provinces include it, or a stylise version of it). It IS odd that other large, prosperous colonies don't seem to have this chip on their shoulder, the embrace and also recoil from British traditions. Australia and New Zealand treasure their flags, complete with the Union Jack represented, and honour many other British traditions that Canadians, despite their proximity to the motherland have eliminated. It could be the influence of the Americans, the French or both. It is a fact that the French Prime Ministers of Canada throughout the centuries have actively sought to make Canada "less British" by demanding their language on all official documents and signs (even in Vancouver where there are vastly more native Chinese speakers than any that speak French). Heck, they even fly the flag of King Louis, and France hasn't been a Kingdom for hundreds of years! So they'd rather fly the flag of a dead monarchy than living and vibrant one, and to which, like it or not, they ARE still a member of the (British) Commonwealth with its Queen as THEIR Queen. Yes, she is called the Queen of CANADA, not the Queen of England by Canadians and legal documents. I agree with your basic premise, that to preserve (and further differentiate their culture from America's), they ought to exercise a bit of nationalism and return to some of their time honoured traditions. (And take down the silly french road signs in Saskatoon and Yukon territory!) Sorry I couldn't tell you why they don't use this legal, titled system that is eons old and ingrained in all British former colonies' cultures, like it or not, but you're right, they should use them! :)