“Française! Je pris et compris…Je suis Charles de Gaulle, Le Président de la République Française.”
The packed Hart House Debates room erupted in laughter in response to John Godfrey’s impersonation of the former French President at the Hart House Alumni debate last Wednesday.
Godfrey, a former Cabinet Minister, was joined by his former U of T debate partner Margaret MacMillan — warden of St. Anthony’s College Oxford and former provost of Trinity College — for an evening of lighthearted competition.
Godfrey and MacMillan were joined by two current Hart House debaters, Victoria Hale and Joe McGrade, to debate the motion: “de Gaulle was right when he said politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.”
Godfrey and Hale sat on side government, while MacMillan and McGrade opposed the motion.
Godfrey presented his case acting as the 125 year-old de Gaulle, stating, “One cannot prevent the French from being the French!” Adopting a thick French accent, Godfrey lightened the mood in the debate room by recalling the stereotypical French love for cheese.
“How can a country with 242 different kinds of cheese come together?” Godfrey asked.
Aside from his satirical take on de Gaulle, Godfrey advocated for a technocratic administration of government affairs.
MacMillan responded by channeling another historical figure: former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. “I have my handbag, and I’ll be very careful of what you say,” MacMillan warned in a prim Thatcher accent.
In her argument, MacMillan contended that technocrats do not always have the right answers.
She used the example of former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford to underline the importance of politicians, claiming: “he made Toronto interesting internationally.”
McGrade and Hale chose to take a more serious tone in their arguments.
McGrade argued for the importance of politicians as representatives of an electorate and the ability of politicians to transform ideas into laws.
McGrade further criticised technocrats by pointing out their largely elite backgrounds and inability to represent the populace. He also took a hit on Godfrey’s enactment, saying, “if you had spent less time being dead, you would’ve done a better job!”
Hale denounced political appointments to ministries, asserting that politicians have little knowledge of their respective portfolios. She added that technocrats on the other hand possess the prerequisite knowledge to ensure better policy decisions.
The debate concluded with an Oxford inspired vote — supporters of each side exited from a separate door to indicate their choice. Side opposition, McMillan and McGrade, was proclaimed victorious.
The debate was followed by a reception for old and new members of the Hart House Debate Committee and allowed the attendees to engage in more detailed discussions.
Kaleem Hawa, president of the Hart House Debates Committee, was elated at the event’s turnout. “We broke fire capacity,” Hawa says, noting that the event attracted more than 200 students and alumni. “Our events this year have been a massive success,” he adds, referencing the extensive roster of events hosted by the Hart House Debates Committee this year.
