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Might Shatner Boldly Lead Canada As Governor?
just fiddling around writes "Now that Michaëlle Jean is approaching the end of her customary five-year post as Governor General of Canada, the rumor mill has started on who Prime Minister Steven Harper will propose to the Queen in her stead. According to the CBC, the short list includes Captain Kirk, actor William Shatner. It seems that acting can lead to the highest offices in places other than California."
You...pitted...us...againsteachother. You...wanted...me..todoyourbidding. You...want...me...tobeyourgovernor. Well...I...WON'T...DO...IT!
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
I say: fuck that noise.
.
Might Shatner Boldly Lead Canada As Governor?
The only 'short list' I could find referenced was simply which Facebook groups had the most members. If anyone else can find anything worth noting from this article other than the fact that Star Trek fans are more numerous on Facebook than Leonard Cohen fans ... let me know. PROTIP: Facebook is not a cross section of the populace nor does that cross section necessarily think they are voting for William Shatner as Governor General when they click a tiny button to join that group. A flippant mouse click can be just as much a joke or laugh than it can be a true desire.
My work here is dung.
It's not Governor. It' Governor General. It's in the summary, but not in the headline.
Canada has a different system of government, and we don't have Governors per se.
It seems that acting can lead to the highest offices in places other than California."
Like... the United States (which isn't entirely composed of California, in spite of rumors)?
Shatner will boldly go where no Canuck has gone before?
The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
"It seems that acting can lead to the highest offices in places other than California"
Absolutely. Forgotten about our 40th president of the United States, have we?
Might Shatner Boldly Lead Canada As Governor?
The only 'short list' I could find referenced was simply which Facebook groups had the most members.
Oh come on, next you will be saying that this is not news for Nerds. At least it is a current story!
I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
Shatner isn't bilingual, which is a serious strike against anyone vying for the GG position. Also note that the Canadian Governor General is essentially powerless in modern government - similar to the role played by the Queen. While, theoretically, the GG has the ability to impact parliamentary procedures in rare circumstances, it's not real power. Instead, the GG gives speeches, meets dignitaries, and spends a lot of time paying respect to unlucky soldiers arriving back from Afghanistan in coffins.
Sorry dude, she's already married! You will never be king.
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
Coz yes, he's an icon to the Trekkies, but he is such a bad actor, I hope he will be better as Governor General...
Yeah, as always - the summary is a little off. Shatner is by no means on the "short list". The "short list" has three people (who look like they're actually appropriate candidates) on it, the article happens to also mention two entries from the much longer list of "who the internet thinks it would be funny if they were nominated for this position".
The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources. - Albert Einstein
KHHHHAAAAAAAANADA!
While I agree it's not really anything to report on YET, but don't doubt the power of something like facebook. It's not official polls but they can give some insight on people's opinions. Granted, this one is a bit of nerd-out kind of group, but suppose there was a group "I don't want our troops overseas" that had say... 3 Million + members. Think that might send a message?
Is it April Fools again already?!?
AccountKiller
This is a retarded story. The only mention of Shatner in the whole FA is this:
There might have been another submission that could have been rejected that included this link, but, again, basically right off the bat, you see:
The OP is an asshole for submitting this as a serious story and writing the summary as if it were legit, and Taco, representative of all the editors I suppose, is being irresponsible for posting such a bullshit story like this on the front page.
Many people have been lamenting that the quality of stories have been going down in Slashdot. I don't really have that much of a gripe about that. I don't come to Slashdot for breaking news or the like. But when you start to post flat out falsehoods (there is no shortlist, there's not even a rumour, it's just a god damn Facebook group), that's when you cross the line into tabloidism. Horrible.
Join this group please if you want Captain Kirk to become the Governor of Canada:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Captain-Kirk-for-Governor-of-Canada/138562856154180
SCIREV.NET - fanfics,reviews & more
In high school there was a small group of miscreants who took the phrase "To boldly go where no man has gone before" to new depths of depravity. To this group to "Shatner" was to eliminate bodily waste in a place where it was presumed "no man has gone before."
One year at homecoming it was reported that somebody had "Shatnered" on the 50 yard line.
My office has been taken over by iPod people.
"I don't want our troops overseas" that had say... 3 Million + members. Think that might send a message?
It might. But what I meant by cross section was that you're not sampling Canada, you're sampling Facebook. Are all the members Canadian? Does the group have a solid representative amount of Inuit? What about the elderly?
The problem with your proposed group of three million against the war is the simple fact that it is highly probable that users with internet connections heavily using Facebook and joining Facebook groups are biased towards liberal ideals. I'm not claiming that, I'm just stating the risk. The other risk is that that they were never given two options (pro/anti) they were only given anti-war. Facebook is not a voting mechanism. I can be a member of both a pro and anti group if I want to! You are not reaching the people who live in BFE Western Texas on a dude ranch. You are reaching technologically savvy citizens and not the elder generation. I don't need to cite my sources because this is a known common issue among marketing and surveys. It just blows my mind how often people forget this.
Again, when I joined your anti-war group, I might not have considered this a true endorsement and the implications. It's not even the equivalent of signing a petition nor is it a 1 citizen to 1 account guarantee. It's also almost always public who is in that group, affecting who joins and who doesn't! The problems are nearly endless in relying on this to "send clear messages."
My work here is dung.
I've having the same issues.
I'm starting to think GNU is the problem with "GNU/Linux" these days.
He speaks both English and Canadian!
bilingual if... by that... you mean ... that he... groups his... words in... groups of ... two? The... random emphasis ... and random... questions are... useless though?
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
RE: open a comment inline without going to a new window
I thought it was just me. Hopefully they will fix it soon!
It seems that acting can lead to the highest offices in places other than California.
Or.... the entire USA perhaps? (Although admitedly he was also the Govenor of California before that apparently if wikipedia is to be believed).
June 1st is Canada Day! Congratulations to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, on the occasion of what will be her 58th anniversary as head of state of the Dominion of Canada! All loyal Canadians, bow your heads to royalty! (Hey, Obama did it so it's not all bad).
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
Taco, representative of all the editors I suppose, is being irresponsible
Now I know you're new here!
Seriously, this is SOP. Learn to love it or learn to be disappointed.
Linux, you magnificent bastard, I read the fucking manual!
I'm tired of all these artist/journalist GGs. Let's get the job back to it's proper political patronage role. Forget about political correctness, the criteria should be: which old white guy raised the most money for the party in power.
July 1st. I said it already! No more corrections please. Darn four-letter months sound the same. (bet there are already 3 replies while I wait for my "slow down cowboy!" 120 second repost time)
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
Imagine - him - reading - the - speach - from - the - throne - .
Undetectable Steganography? Yep, there's an app fo
Donny Crane. Sure it was an acting gig, but there are a lot of "screen moments" that can be extracted.
What is politics but a PR play and Canada's current prime minister is way to image conscious to go anywhere near a Donny Crane.
Infidelity. Check.
Gay Marriage. Check.
Insensitivity. Check.
Politically Incorrect. Check.
I have moderation points, but I am unable to moderate -- nothing happens.
I know its not going to reach everyone, thats why a pro or anti group managing to get to 3 Million members is only 3 million members and not the full population of Canada.
And I think apathy for voting is a bigger issue than people being technologically incapable. You probably have more 18 and 19 year olds who don't vote but are on Facebook than you have people in regions of Canada without access to the internet. I don't have any stats to back that up so take that with a grain of salt. Our company has branches in Yellowknife and Whitehorse, the capitals of the Yukon and Northwest Territories, so its not like everything out there is a barren wasteland without any connection to the technological world.
I'm not saying that Facebook is a great voting system, thats not what I'm trying to say at all. I'm just saying that it's a better indicator of whats going on then ignoring it completely. After all, those Young Tech Savvy people using it are going to be the voters for the next little while.
"It seems that acting can lead to the highest offices in places other than California."
It's happened with more then Arnold.
President of United States. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan#Radio_and_film)
US Senate. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Bono#Entertainment_career)
Governor for Minnesota. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Ventura#Governor_of_Minnesota)
Mileage may vary with each person but entertainers have a good shot at doing politics just as much as anyone else. Heck just imagine one day waking up to President Gaga, it could happen if she really wanted to do it.
~~ Behold the flying cow with a rail gun! ~~
Everyone knows a politician needs good acting in order to make people believe what they are saying. Thus it shouldn't be any surprise that actors have a nice headstart when a high position needs to be filled.
If Shatner has any government post in Canada, I think the US north better stop whining about how we need to build a fence down south and start worrying about how we can reinforce the longest previously unprotected border in the world.
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
I only have it in FF, in C it works just fine (both on OSX)....
The GG isn't powerless, it is the only person who has the power to open and close Parliament. Just ask Harper, he loves asking them to do it too.
Slashdot will stop trolling us when we stop biting.
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
"might shatner boldly lead canada ?"
I thought Picard was bold, not Kirk.
The world belongs to those who get up early. - I'm far from being the king of Earth then
This is very old news in Canada. And no he won't. He doesn't even want the job, and the government is not considering him.
And it is "Governor General" not governor. It is an appointed position akin to say the most ceremonial presidential position in some republics. That is, before a law can come into effect it must be signed off by the GG. It is called Royal Assent. The GG represents the Queen of Canada (Elizabeth II) in Canada, and the monarch of the constitutional monarchy must approve all laws before they can come into effect. However, the GG by tradition always gives Royal Assent at the request of the Prime Minister. However most people don't realize that the GG doesn't HAVE to sign. It is a form of check or balance in the system. Of course this would likely never happen except in the rarest of circumstance.
Royal Assent must also be given in England as well before a law created in Parliament can go into effect. Of course in their case, the Queen signs it herself.
Before the 20th century, it was more common for the monarch to be able to withhold Royal Assent than today (less political repercussions back then). It is this ability to withhold Royal Assent that lent itself to the American Presidential Veto.
-- I ignore anonymous replies to my comments and postings.
Well it appears someone's moderation is working. Must be one of those folks who makes posts on game forums like "It works fine for me. Get a new CPU and video card. Hurr hurr."
The governor of California has quite a bit more power over his "subjects" than the governor general of Canada has over his. The governor of California is an executive, the governor general of Canada is a figurehead who stands in for the crown when they are unavailable for ceremonies.
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
Bad science (fiction?) at it's darkest hour. Better days ahead, as it was (really) written/meant to be. See you there?
But yesterday, you didn't even know that Canukistan had a "Governor General", and today you're debating the merits of the candidates, just because some random intartubes nobody started a Facebook page with Shatner's name on it.
What I say about Shatner is that the the strong-greaved Achaians and the spear-Danes of old may be gone, but a God walks amongst us still and he wants to make love to the mountain.
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
(Hum, she's called Khan but looks like Uhura... conflict!)
*extends hand* - Denny Crane.
*Sigh* The lady is our current Governor General you insensitive clod.
The man is Kahn.
Jesus was a compassionate social conservative who called individuals to sin no more.
..but won't he hijack Ottawa and eventually get demoted?
...suppose there was a group "I don't want our troops overseas" that had say... 3 Million + members. Think that might send a message?
A message that 1% of the US population supports something? I don't think that would be a very meaningful message.
however, you are forgetting that the GG is a shallow powderpuff position
therefore, give the shallow powderpuff person the shallow powderpuff position, and give the serious meaningful people you list serious meaningful positions
it would be insulting, as you say, to give a shallow powderpuff a serious meaningful position in spite of other serious meaningful candidates
but it is equally insulting to give a serious meaningful candidate a shallow powderpuff position
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
I guickly perused two wikipedia articles: one on Shatner and the other on Schwarzenegger. Shatner has a formal education at a the respectable McGill University whereas Schwarzenegger's education beyond high school is a bit murky. Arnold is well known for his philandering, his get tough on crime politics, and his pro death penalty stance. Arnold's lack of higher education and narcicisstic personality made him a poor choice for representing the will of the people but instead wanting to impose his own will. Arguably, Schwarzenegger is responsible for the veritable demise of the middle class in California. California is a prime example of the goal of the GOP to destroy the middle class. In California, you're rich or poor. William Shatner, however, might make a good Governor as he is well educated as well as honestly civic minded.
This thread is now about the governor of Canada saying funny $#*!.
APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
... To Boldly Go Where No Ham Has Gone Before...
You mean like Washington DC?
It's official. Most of you are morons.
Same. They must be rolling out Slashdot HTML5 Edition after the great success of Slashdot 2.0
Governor General is an essentially powerless PR position.
being a dick was a requirement for higher public office.
Translated for the google-lazy:
Make sure everyone's vote counts: Verified Voting
First of all, this references an article that is 2 months old. Since that time, Shat and officials in the Canadian government have confirmed that Bill isn't being considered for the post of Governor General.
Second, Shatner was never on a list, short or otherwise. This whole thing came about as a result of a Facebook group nominating him for GG.
It wasn't going to happen back in April, and it isn't going to happen now. Which is kind of a shame. I would have loved to hear Capt Kirk reading the throne speech.
Taco, representative of all the editors I suppose, is being irresponsible
Now I know you're new here!
Seriously, this is SOP. Learn to love it or learn to be disappointed.
Well in this case CmdrTaco's headline and spin were irresponsible because we know from past experience he can do a better editorial job. If instead this was kdawson, it would be understandable because we really cannot expect better from him.
Governor is about right as Canada has less people than California. Pretty much a glorified state anyways. Shatner should be able to handle that.
i don't understand a country where the figurehead of a FOREIGN country has some sort influence, even if symbolic. and even appears, still, on your money. of course i understand the history, but aren't canadians ashamed of the fact that "canadian" doesn't have much meaning, in the end, because it's really "british" identity that seems to matter?
i mean if i were canadian, i would want to be proud of being canadian, and being proud of a national identity should naturally preclude any suggestion of your national identity being secondary to someone else's identity. either call yourselves british instead, or completely sever this submissive colonial arrangement, even if just symbolic
it just doesn't speak highly of a national identity to be so watered down and subservient of someone else's national identity, on another continent
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
i will assume you are proud of being canadian. but the queen is a person from another country
so how is it possible to be proud of your national identity, when you are so subservient to another national identity
it would seem to me, canadians should call themselves british, or completely cauterize this ridiculous anachronistic subservience to a foreign power
in the end, it just means that being canadian doesn't mean very much at all. so if you want being canadian to MEAN something, then exert that identity by not allowing canadian identity to be a doormat for someone else's national identity, an ocean away
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
I suppose the White House counts...
Sure I'm paranoid, but am I paranoid enough?
If a bad clown can lead the US then it is conceivable that a good actor could lead Canada.
Holy hell my government is an embarrassment.
It is time for proportional representation in this country.
then you don't stand for anything, you don't mean anything, and therefore you have no identity
your identity comes from what is important to you. if its important to you, you must fight for it at some point, because your beliefs will be challenged in this world. if you do not fight for that identity, then it really isn't important to you, and really isn't your identity after all. this observation applies to every noble principle you imagine you stand for
so apparently canadian means "vegetative growth of no importance". i don't believe that about canada. i'm merely informing you of the implications of your own words written above about what it means to be canadian
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
you mean like i'm the King of Antarctica?
the woman lives in england, and owes her significance and identity to british history. how or why you believe this should have anything to do with being canadian is something i truly don't understand, unless it is your intention to say that "canadian" has no validity as a true national identity
call yourself british, or completely sever any subservience to a foreign power. i don't demand this as some random troll on the internet. i demand this in the interest of logical coherence about what a national identity is suppose to mean. i don't get to say i'm american, and walk around with the king of france on my money. then i am some sort of frenchman
national identity is something you can't invest pride in unless it is a truly unique identity
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
Canada is part of the Commonwealth of Nations (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations), in general we are a happy member of this organization. The Queen is the titular head of the Commonwealth and thus of Canada. Her Governor General is her representative here in Canada. While largely ceremonial, the position does carry some political power and responsibility. The Commonwealth is a friendly relation between its member countries, celebrated in events like the Commonwealth Games (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Games).
The thing is we Canadians are in large part, quite proud of this relationship. If the US hadn't had its revolution, you would likely be a member as well. We acknowledge our British political heritage quite openly, and since there was never an antagonistic relationship between Canada and Britain, its not a big issue. Oh, sure there are Canadians who do not support this relationship - in fact most of one of our provinces likely feels that way (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec - but then Quebec insists on treating itself like a sovereign nation in many regards anyways. Its Provincial Assembly is called the National Assembly for instance. It still has a Lieutenant Governor representing the Queen though, just as do the rest of the Provinces).
We have a strong British heritage here in Canada, reflected in English being one of the official languages (the other being French, since we have a large francophone community centered in but not limited to Quebec), our system of government (Parliamentary Democracy), our legal system etc. Its hardly a hardship to acknowledge that relationship proudly. Canada is of course highly multi-cultural, and in general quite supportive of minorities (our treatment of the native population aside. We have done them no favours whatsoever in my opinion, and still do them a grave disservice).
Canada has come to the defense of Britain during both World Wars. There is a long history of military association with Britain. Many of our units with a longstanding heritage, owe their origins to British units raised here before we became an independent nation. When I joined the Canadian Armed Forces, I swore my oath to support "The Queen and all her heirs and successors in perpetuity" quite happily and seriously. Being Canadian - at least to me - means being proud of our relationship with Britain and the rest of the commonwealth, and that relationship in no way infringes on what it means to be Canadian, rather it enhances it.
"The first time I got drunk, I got married. The second time I bought a chimpanzee, after that I stayed sober" Arian Seid
Shatner for GG? He's not even the best option from the Star Trek cast!
James Montgomery "Jimmy" Doohan (Scotty!) would've been a far better GG. At least he was a member of the Royal Canadian Artillery. He was one of the soldiers storming the beach at the invasion of Normandy at Juno Beach on D-Day. (Have you seen 'Saving Private Ryan'? Well, Scotty was one of those soldiers. And he survived, despite being shot six times.) Now, that's a man I could respect as Governor General. And if Canada ran into trouble, we could always count on him "giving all he's got".
We'll never forget you, Jimmy.
Hmmm - so maybe Canada would start getting Great deals on Negotiated Hotel rates??
While I like William Shatner generally, and I don't disparage him for his - shall we say unique - acting style on Star Trek, I agree that Romeo Dallaire would be a far better choice as the next Governor General for Canada. (Anyone who wants to get a feel for Dallaire might do well to watch Shake Hands with the Devil (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472562/), an excellent movie (Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaHAXnOGj9k) about the situation he faced in Rwanda during the genocide there. Likewise of course the book it was based on, written by Dallaire himself.
All in all he is a major Canadian hero in my opinion, and a perfect choice for when Michelle Jean leaves her office.
"The first time I got drunk, I got married. The second time I bought a chimpanzee, after that I stayed sober" Arian Seid
Governor General has power in a minority. The current one basically does exactly what the prime minister wants and basically shuts down the parliament at every opportunity that Harper finds it "inconvenient". It already happened twice.
I guess we'll just have to see if current GG will prorogue parliament when the current bill comes in from the G8 & G20. Americans spent about $18 million on such a meeting. Harper's "fiscal conservatives" have *wasted* 1000+ million. How the fuck do you spend $100,000,000+ on office space and $1,000,000,000 on "security" for a 2-3 day meeting???????? That's enough money to *build an office tower* AND *hire entire Canadian army* and still have money left over.
Shiwinigate was one thing, but this is incomprehensible. People should go to jail for this waste.
"my blood has shed for your cowardice in not serving the good cause of throwing off the colonial yolk."
that's quite possibly the funniest thing I've read all year.
i'm trolling canadians, this is a delicate trap. i'm hoping a canuck will come flipping out and screaming "Rule, Britannia!" a nice proper internet meltdown
so don't harsh my troll dude. keep it serious and indignant. i'm certain i can troll a canadian well here. its easy: they always have a chip on their shoulder about their national identity in relation to the usa. pick at it and they always flip out
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
Now, Leonard Cohen is someone even I could get behind for the GG position. Too bad, I'm not Canadian.
Are persons on the "Short List" actually short?
The Queen of Canada too? I mean I know they only became a real country in the 80's but you'd think they'd get their own Queen when that happened.
Did you know 80 to 90% of the moderators on slashdot wouldn't recognize a troll even if one dragged them under a bridge.
Yes, sometimes actors can even become President of the United States, which is outside California
Ummm... Ronald Regan?
UTF-8: There and Back Again
Canada is part of the Commonwealth of Nations (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations), in general we are a happy member of this organization. The Queen is the titular head of the Commonwealth and thus of Canada.
Being head of the Commonwealth does not make her the head of every country that is a Commonwealth member. Plenty of Commonwealth countries have dumped monarchism, whether on independence or as a subsequent reform.
Space game using normal deck of cards: http://BattleCards.org
Panera makes yummy bread and pastries, and there's free wifi there! They'd totally want one.
Space game using normal deck of cards: http://BattleCards.org
I, for one, welcome our TJ Hooker overlord!
Teeeeetttssssuuuuuuuooooooooooooo!!
TETSUUUUUOOOOOOO!!!!!
No power? Australia, 1975: Prime Minister Gough Whitlam is dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr. Kerr then appoints the *Leader of the Opposition* Malcolm Fraser as temporary Prime Minister. Malcolm Fraser retains the position of Prime Minister for nearly 8 years.
Poking fun at California for having Schwarzenegger, I guess no one has ever heard of Jesse Ventura or maybe an even more obscure actor have just as a trivial role in history, Ronald Reagan.
The Queen is the titular head of the Commonwealth and thus of Canada.
No. Elizabeth II is the titular head of the Commonwealth and Queen of Canada. They are separate titles and there is no requirement that they be the same. See London Declaration and Statute of Westminster 1931. They are separate positions that, for now, are held by the same person (and probably will be in the future). Neither position is dependent on the other.
We were not kicked out. We kind of got our own apartment, but we still go running home to Mommy quite a bit. Ocassionally we'll pretend to be all republican and shit, but the next day it'll be Queen's Birthday and we'll thow a raw prawn on the barbie in Mommy's name.
According to some accounts it was Nancy's astrologer's hand.
Pisces is in Jupiter and the moon is in its rising quarter. An ideal time for launching nucular missiles at the godless commies!
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
I once saw an interview with bones where he said he wanted the words "I'm dead Jim" engraved on his grave stone.
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
Stop Joking that Shatner qualifies. He may be a Canadian by birth, but not by mindset. His parents were members of our Synagogue, and are buried in the local cemetery. Never heard of William being in town.
Leslie Satenstein Montreal Quebec Canada
shatner is not a political novice. he comes from a family with a long history of hands on experiance with government. several of his family members have served canada in parlimanet, and several others have represented canada internationally, including terms as ambasador to indonesia, thailand, and more importantly china. Bill has been know to keep his personal life seperate from his public life. Heck, i'm a fifth cousin and i got a card from him on my bar mitzvah. -posted anon to comply with family wishes