Thursday, October 25, 2007

Harper chooses gay superhero to be new symbol of Canada


Harper is going to take a certain amount of flack for choosing a gay francophone superhero from X-Men to be the new symbol of Canadian, uh, pride, but personally I think it's just terribly terribly bold of him.
G&M : PMO sets sights on North Star's guiding light
"In a new bid to foster national pride and confidence in its leadership, the Stephen Harper government is urging Canadians to look up, look way up.
As the Conservatives search for a more inspirational way to deliver their message and replace the worn-out catchphrase "Canada's New Government," the lobbyists and strategists who deliver the government line were told after last week's Throne Speech to make use of a reference to the North Star that showed up toward the end of the speech.
"To help you effectively communicate with your local media, as well as your constituents, we have included general messaging on the Speech from the Throne," says a PMO memo obtained by The Globe and Mail.
Among the elements of the Throne Speech that the memo urges them to highlight, the first is this lyrical passage: "Like the North Star, Canada has been a guide to other nations..."
The memo does not say specifically how the strategists should use the reference."
Oh come on, strategists, how tough is that?
According to wikipedia, NorthStar is a Quebecois superhero who first joins the Front de Libération du Québec to gain Quebec independence but soon sees the error of his ways and renounces terrorism to join Alpha Flight, a superhero group financed by the Canadian government.
His X-Men bio divulges that in addition to being a world class Olympic skier who makes his home at the north pole, NorthStar is also a martial arts master, a trapeze artist, and an accomplished novelist.
Now what could be more Canadian than that?
"Sources have told The Globe that the North Star terminology was to have been peppered throughout the speech, rather than just at the end.
"When you're following the North Star you're always going in the right direction," said the source in explaining its appeal."
Strategists, start your engines.
As Impolitical says : Must...repeat...North...Star....

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