CBC gets a new President

Is the line "The first thing we do let's kill all the lawyers" meant to be a derogatory remark towards lawyers?

I'm not an expert on Shakespeare but I've always found it odd out how we tend to look upon lawyers with a smug "they are a necessary evil."

We all say we hate lawyers...until you need one.

Where am I heading with this? The CBC just named its new President (and CEO) and guess what? He's a Quebec-based lawyer.

Quick word on the CBC. Why do we go into the private sector to find someone to run a public corporation? Shouldn't people with public broadcasting experience be running the CBC? Can people who work on the private side become "public" that easily?

Public corporation. Now there's an oxymoron. Given that in recent years the CBC acts more like a private broadcaster, is it not time them to privatize the CBC?

The CBC's appointment should not surprise anyone. Canada has a long tradition of having lawyers in high positions. Indeed, they often become Prime Ministers.

Of course that our leadership comes from one portion of society can be a source of concern. The country should not be run by lawyers. Law is just one aspect of cultural critical thinking and intellectualism. No wonder Canada is run by the Charter these days.

But don't tell all this to the Conservatives. Prime Minister Stephen Harper bucks the trend in that he's an economist with a strong sense of history. Which makes him an artist in many ways.

In fact, he's the first PM since Pearson to not have attended law school.

And that's fine by me.