Heritage Committee (MPSP17)

## Overview

The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage convened to discuss Operation Cultural Victory, an initiative that aimed to honour Canada’s history by constructing a new Canadian Wonder of the World. The Committee had to determine the parameters of the project, including where it should be built, and what it should be.

## Background

*The following is taken from the (formerly classified) briefing on the issue that was provided to Committee members.*

"A special team of Canada’s greatest minds has been hard at work for the past several years trying to determine how Canada can continue to improve, and a few weeks ago, they finally released their findings. The key  revealing the one thing that all great civilizations throughout history have had in common.

The Egyptians had the Pyramids, the Roman Empire had the Colosseum, and China has its Great Wall. It is abundantly clear that the best way to celebrate Canada’s achievements and cement Canada’s status on the international stage is through a needlessly expensive construction project that will decimate Canada’s finances for generations to come.

The Committee must direct the building of this great Canadian wonder. It is up to you to create something that Canadians across the country can be proud of. This project is critical to Canada’s continued existence as a country. Without a rallying point to truly unite this nation, there is a clear risk that Canada itself could simply dissolve into loosely-aligned bands of roaming marauders.

Whether the Canadian Wonder ends up being a badly-needed piece of essential infrastructure that ensures Canada’s long term prosperity or, more likely, ends up being a colossal waste of taxpayer money, at the end of the day you will each know that you played a critical role in its creation.

The goal is to begin construction this year, in order to celebrate Canada’s 150th Anniversary."

## Issues Facing the Committee

Primary concerns for the committee were as follows:

* *Newsworthiness:* What’s the point of creating something if it doesn’t satisfy my all-consuming need for external validation? Whatever you design, make sure its something that The success of this project will be measured by the number of likes this gets on Facebook and the number of views on the National Snapstory.
* *Financial Viability: ..* No, we’re just kidding. Money is irrelevant. This project is a priority for this country, and the Committee should focus on coming up with something super cool, no matter how absurdly costly it may end up being. Build what you want, and we’ll make the taxpayers pay for it.
* *Embodying Canada’s History:* The Canadian Wonder should at least try to capture the spirit of Canada as a nation. Whether it does so successfully is up to the Committee, but please at least try.

## Outcomes

The decision made by the committee resulted in the construction of the Great Canadian Wonder. This monument was to be an ice sculpture of Hazel Mccallion riding on a dog sled, being led by 4 beavers and 4 corgis. She would be wearing a team Canada hockey jersey, and be wielding a hockey stick which dispenses maple syrup. The statue was to be placed in Nunavut.

As of 2019, the National Roast reported that construction on the wonder was proceeding surprisingly smoothly.