I know William Shatner was probably just joking when he told a fan that he wants to be Prime Minister of Canada (though it’s part of W.S.’s genius that you never really know if he’s joking or not), but he should watch out, because he’s going to create some grassroots demand here.

The 77-year-old star said: “My intention is to be Prime Minister of Canada, not Governor General, which is mainly a ceremonial position.”

Shatner revealed his lofty ambition in response to a letter from a fan who urged him to put himself forward for the Governor General of Canada.

Remember when the students of McGill University voted to change the name of the Student Union to the “William Shatner Building,” creating a weird situation where everybody referred to it as “The Shatner” even though the University refused to call it that officially? That proved that when Shatner tosses his captain’s hat into the ring, he gets votes. I know he doesn’t really want to be Prime Minister, but now that he’s broached the subject, it’s too late for him to take it back, because it’s on.

And can any of our major party leaders do this?