Over the last year, many Canadian celebs have stood up for Canada in light of statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump about transforming our fair Dominion into a 51st state, and in light of crippling tariffs imposed on us by him.

Mike Myers made a stand on Saturday Night Live, defiantly spreading his elbows up and later sporting a rah-rah Canadian Tire T-shirt.

Swell, but Rick Mercer has been pounding the Canada drum for decades, particularly in terms of trying to create awareness of Canada in the U.S. In 2001, he emerged with the CBC-TV spectacle Talking to Americans, still the highest-rated comedy special to emanate from this land. Among other hysterical points, Mercer managed to convince U.S. governors that Jean Poutine was our prime minister and that beaver balls were our national dish. Perhaps this led to the Donald believing we were ripe for the conquering.

Mercer’s point has always been that Canadians have marched to the beat of our own bongo and that we revel in our own distinctness.

So now in our hour of need, the Newfoundlander satirist has clearly felt compelled to emerge from the sidelines and, with elbows limbered up, is bringing Rick Mercer’s Stand-Up for Canada Comedy Tour to 21 cities across the country to strike a unifying tone. The tour, hitting the Olympia on Thursday, is co-produced by former Just for Laughs president Bruce Hills and also features promising Canadian........

© Montreal Gazette