The Queen’s Riddle

When the Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada met with Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen of England he asked her. “Your Majesty, how do you run such an efficient government? Are there any tips you can give me?”

“Well,” said the Queen, “The most important thing is to surround yourself with intelligent people.”

The Minister frowned, and then asked, “but how do I know if the people around me are really intelligent?”

The Queen took a sip of champagne. Oh, that’s easy; you just ask them to answer an intelligent riddle. Watch.

“The Queen pushed a button on her intercom.”Please send in the Prime Minister would you?” The Minister walked into the room and said, “Yes, your Majesty?”

The Queen smiled and said, “Answer me this please. Your mother and father have a child. It is not your brother and it is not your sister. Who is it?” Without pausing for a moment, the Minister answered…”That would be me.” “Yes! Very good.” said the Queen.

The Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada went back home and asked the Coast Guard Commissioner the same question.” Please answer this for me. Your mother and your father have a child. It’s not your brother and it’s not your sister. Who is it?”

“I’m not sure,” said the Coast Guard Commissioner. “Let me get back to you on that one.”

He went to his advisers and asked everyone, but none could give him an answer.

Frustrated, the Coast Guard Commissioner went to work out in the gym and saw his Deputy Commissioner of Operations there. The Coast Guard Commissioner went up to him and asked, “See if you can answer this question.”

“Shoot Sir.”

“Your mother and father have a child and it’s not your brother or your sister. Who is it?”

The Deputy Commissioner of Operations Operation answered, “That’s easy, it’s me!

The Coast Guard Commissioner then went back to speak with his boss, the Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

“Say, I did some research and I have the answer to that riddle. It’s my Deputy Commissioner of Operations!”

The Deputy Minister got up, stomped across the room to the Coast Guard Commissioner, and angrily yelled into his face, “No! You idiot! It’s the Prime Minister of England!”

And that my friends is what’s going on in the Coast Guard branch of Fisheries and Oceans, Ottawa, Canada, and why we can get nothing done!