You know I suppose if I was going to be a knee-jerk about the new rural overlords I would have some emotional response to the cutting of funding for something called the Unity Council - like Mulroney cutting the trains for everywhere of use to me - but I think I would have had to have known it existed for that to be the case:

The federal government has cut $13 million in funding to the Canadian Unity Council because it's time for a "fresh approach," Heritage Minister Bev Oda says. Oda praised the work the council has done in the past, but said it was not reflecting changing demographics...The council, a non-partisan group, was founded in 1964 as Quebec francophones began to raise questions about federalism. It began to advocate for Canada "continuously but unobtrusively" by encouraging discussions about the country's political institutions. The council publishes polls and studies, and helps 130 students visit Ottawa every week, "living in surroundings that encourage friendship and the sharing of experiences with others from every part of Canada."

45 cents a year per Canadian, eh? "Unobtrusively" is likely a very good word for it as I had no idea this entity existed and how 130 students a week changed my world. That being said, I remember one guy in grade 11 back in 1980 or so getting to go to Ottawa on what I have since learned to call the boondoggle but I can't say for sure that this was a related event.

One reason I can see that they might deserve their epilogue, however, is the fact they have a portal. I remember back around 1999 when the Feds were travelling around flogging portallry as a concept. I wondered where that went.