In an Oct. 4 tweet, comedian
Sarah Silverman endorsed Thomas Mulcair, the New Democratic Party leader currently trying to unseat Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Canada's upcoming federal election.
In the process, she may have become an electoral vigilante.
The CBC's Lien Yeung writes, "Silverman's tweet seems innocent enough, but it could possibly be illegal. Foreigners are not allowed to encourage electors to vote for a particular candidate during an election period."
The "Wreck-It Ralph" star technically broke Section 311 of the Canada Elections Act.
Will Silverman be extradited to Ottawa for electoral espionage? Not likely. According to the Huffington Post's Ron Nurwisah, that particular section of Canadian electoral law is rarely enforced.
But the court of public opinion isn't limited to any national jurisdictions, so let's see how Twitter reacted to this crime of political passion. The verdicts included...
Supporting Silverman's support for Mulcair
@SarahKSilverman Don’t pay attention to the haters or the Liberal partisans, @ThomasMulcair is Harper’s fiercest, most credible opponent.
— Spark Poster (@SparkPoster) October 5, 2015
Opposing her remark politely (the Canadian way)
@SarahKSilverman Please don't use your celebrity to influence an election that you can't vote in. @ElectionsCan_E @CBCNews
— Eli Clarke (@theooch) October 4, 2015
Suggesting Gretzky should be locked up
@RichardMadan @SarahKSilverman @ThomasMulcair what about that shill, Gretzky?
— tim krochak (@real_timbophoto) October 4, 2015
Launching the Silverman 2016 Presidential Campaign
I'd vote @SarahKSilverman if i could! @ThomasMulcair
— Kristian Reimer (@kristianReimer) October 5, 2015
Annexing her citizenship
@SarahKSilverman @ThomasMulcair Didn't know you were Canadian...BUT Totally agree rock on.
— Andrew Roebuck (@WineMovienerd) October 4, 2015
Questioning her political cred
@SarahKSilverman @ThomasMulcair Americans who sing farts songs don't get to tell me a Canadian how to vote.
— Diane Choptiany (@Chop28) October 5, 2015
Offering rebuttals
@SarahKSilverman : How can progressives defend something as regressive as the niqab, especially feminists?@miraoreck @ThomasMulcair
— Jean Nassé (@JeanNasse) October 4, 2015
Feeling Flattered
@SarahKSilverman You're paying attention to Canadian politics? :) I'm appalled by our current Con gov & their shamefully divisive tactics
— AxeGrrl (@Axe_Grrl) October 4, 2015
Some are getting paid to have a say, so she should too
@Hyper_Canadian @SarahKSilverman if Republican strategists and Australian bigots can weigh in, Sarah has the right too. #cdnpoli #NDP
— iscribe (@iscribe) October 4, 2015
@Hyper_Canadian @SarahKSilverman if Republican strategists and Australian bigots can weigh in, Sarah has the right too. #cdnpoli #NDP
— iscribe (@iscribe) October 4, 2015
Pitying her devotion to political underdogs
@SarahKSilverman Your heart's in the right place, but NDP will never get the votes to lead Cda. Liberals are only chance to dethrone Harper.
— scrib (@scrib) October 4, 2015
Accusing Mulcair of being Harper's clone
@raehanbobby @SarahKSilverman @ThomasMulcair mulcair is trying to place himself on both sides of fence, sorry he is just like Harper
— tracy vinet (@thevinetwayway) October 4, 2015
Skewing the endorsement as pro-Harper
@KORichardson @SarahKSilverman @ElizabethMay @JustinTrudeau @ThomasMulcair
— Janis Sexton (@Ez4u2say_Janis) October 4, 2015
She's aiding Harper with this tweet.
Disguising potshots as praise
Steering the conversation toward other contentious issues (?)
@SarahKSilverman @ThomasMulcair I'll vote #NDP , if they uphold my right to wear assless chaps.
— Jack Desjardins (@JackDesjardins) October 4, 2015
(Is that even up for debate?!)
What do you think of Silverman's endorsement? Tell us: @civilized_life
h/t CBC, Huffington Post
