Well, this was the Governor General they were talking about, who's more of a figurehead. Basically he's the Queen's representative. Yup, a stand-in for a powerless monarch. (Yes, I know the value of royalty as a symbol and that the Queen still retains absolute veto powers, but still).

Now if the Prime Minister called, then it'd mean something. Or the Queen herself. Not the Queen's Canadian stand-in.