This Hour Has 22 Minutes publicity for the show and contributed to the general air of farce surrounding Day's election campaign. Day did, however, have a very appropriate response to the petition: ""Que será, será"." It was later revealed by Alastair Campbell, former aide to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, that Prime Minister Jean Cretien and the Liberal Party had come up with the idea- not Mercer or the show's writers. 2003–04 – Shaun Majumder, in character as "Raj Binder", was sent to report on the 2003 outdoors Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens old timers game, preceding the night's actual NHL regular season game, which
Alastair Mars Election. He contested the constituency of Windsor, but finished third. Mars was arrested and court martialled for insubordination and absence without leave, which resulted in his dismissal from the Navy in June 1952. The controversy over his dismissal was the subject of a parliamentary question the following month, when the future prime minister James Callaghan asked the then First Lord of the Admiralty whether Mars would receive his pension. Following his dismissal Mars became a successful author, publishing several autobiographical works and novels. He died in Ipswich in 1985. Alastair Mars Lieutenant Commander Alastair Campbell Gillespie Mars, DSO, DSC and