Show a bit of respect.
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall was just a guest on John Gormley Live. It’s very impressive that Premier Wall does a call-in segment once a month and accepts questions from residents. Even more impressive, he actually answers the questions asked and, if he doesn’t have the answer, he’ll return the next month with more information. (The mayors of both Saskatoon and Regina do the same thing. Equally impressive.)
Here’s my complaint: This morning, one of the last callers actually called the Premier “Brad.” What? I’m a very casual person. I don’t insist that people call me by my title. However, I would never dream of addressing a government leader by their first name unless we were close friends or family and then only in private. In a public forum, he should be addressed as “Premier Wall” or, at least, as “Mr. Wall.”
On a related point, why is the mayor of Saskatoon addressed as “Your Worship“? That’s just weird. Who worships a mayor?
When he was leader of the opposition (say…. 04ish) he came to my commerce/political class to deliver their major economic paper and said he preferred everyone to call him “Brad”
I know he’s premier now but I don’t think it bothers him
I think that it’s still important to address him properly in public forums.
I taught at a university and allowed the students to call me by my first name. In hindsight, that was a bad choice made by a young teacher.