thirdcrank wrote:Mention of Canada has me wondering whether it might have made any difference to the level of media interest if the driver had been a Commonwealth citizen from somewhere where it's driving on the right. The wife of a Mountie might be viewed differently.
I don't know the extent of Canadian diplomatic presence in this country or if they would assert diplomatic immunity in a case like this. Perhaps my point is self-serving in that if the media didn't get so outraged about a Canadian driver, a fair trial might not be raised as an issue.
It is my impression —without substantial evidence— that the Canadian diplomatic corps are held to a relatively high standard of behaviour when abroad (unlike members of the Canadian military, who periodically face military prosecution for unlawful actions when serving overseas). I'm sure there are transgressions by diplomats and staff, and I'm equally sure that considerable effort would be put into dealing with such transgressions quietly and … well … diplomatically if possible. Whisking an offender back home to shield them would be very out of character for Canada.
On the question of British media (and person-in-the-street) disdain for Americans, it has been observable during the decades that Mrs. M-K and I have toured Britain by bicycle and on foot. It's intensity fluctuates depending upon what Americans and their politicians are up to at any given time, but I think there will always be an element of on-going resentment within a colonial population for the citizens of the imperialist power that dominates them (even if that domination is primarily cultural and fiscal).
In short, if faced with a court appearance in Britain, I would prefer to be a Canadian rather than an American.
