Canada makes bid to be president of the US (Have you a better idea?)
With Mitt Romney powering ahead in the race for the Republican nomination, the US public has a new candidate lining up for the presidential election in November this year: Canada.
The northern neighbour makes its case in this tongue-in cheek video. After all, it has done rather better economically than than the US recently .
And just in case there are are any doubts, Americans - who seem to have fallen in love with British royalty of late - will spot a reassuring picture of the Queen on the wall behind the speaker.
Running on a platform of "America, but better," Canada's bid for the presidency has found its place on the internet. In just one day, the group's Kickstarter page received more than $500 in donations.
Brian Calvert is the Canadian half of a two-man team working to win the job for Canada.
Why should Canada be elected president of the United States?
"We're just your neighbours, and we want to help," he tells doubting Americans. .
Calvert and American-born writer Chris Cannon developed the idea while throwing around concepts for a politically-based comedy project and Cannon's idea of Canada as a political party.
Of the present US election debate, Calvert says, "I can't believe anyone can see who to vote for."
Filmed in a friend's living room, the video has the national anthem, O Canada, playing softly in the background as Calvert pokes fun at both America and his homeland.
Running on a platform of "America, but better," Calvert explained the theme was actually a position many political candidates were taking: restoring American to its former glory.
Putting aside that it's a country and not a person, Calvert acknowledges that Canada was not born in the U.S.
"But the first seven presidents weren't born in America," he says. "Both of our parents are the British, so it's like we're brothers."
A manifesto for the Canada Party will be released by the Canadian independent publishing company, Douglas and McIntyre. In the meantime, the pair promise new campaign ads every three to four weeks until the election in November.