Plan B Forum

It's time for Canada to boldly go where no country has gone before.”

That phrase leads off a Facebook page calling for Canadian-born actor William Shatner to be named Canada's next governor general.

About 11,400 people have signed on to the page suggesting Capt. James T. Kirk beam into Rideau Hall once Michaelle Jean beams out.

Jean's five-year mission will soon expire and Prime Minister Stephen Harper is considering who will replace her.

The Facebook page asks fans to imagine Shatner reading the throne speech in that Captain Kirk style “we have come to know and love.”

A Shatner spokeswoman said the actor was “on set” Thursday and would not be available to comment.

However, in a good-natured response to a similar effort last year, he said he would prefer to be prime minister rather than take on the ceremonial post of governor general.

“As prime minister, I can lead Canada into even greater exploits so, therefore, I must — with my deepest thanks — turn down your honourable intent to advance me as governor general,” he wrote.

“Besides which, I don't have time to be governor general.”

The Montreal-born Shatner recently sang Canada's praises during the closing ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympics.

Wheelchair athlete Rick Hansen was recently mentioned as a possible candidate to replace Jean, but a spokeswoman for the Man in Motion said Hansen has not been offered the job.

Other possibilities include John de Chastelain, a former chief of defence staff and Canadian ambassador to the United States, Inuit leader Mary Simon and Reform party founder Preston Manning.

A Facebook page set up in March to promote Manning for the vice-regal position has less than 500 fans.

However, another Facebook page pushing Canadian bard Leonard Cohen for governor general is closing in on 6,500 fans.

Vulcan is getting a visit from one of its champions this spring, as original Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy has agreed to visit the southern Alberta town.

Nimoy, who portrayed the logical half-alien, half-human character Spock on the original TV series, will visit on April 23 as part of a comic book and entertainment convention being held in nearby Calgary, said Dayna Dickens, tourism co-ordinator for the town of about 1,900.

She said Friday that CBS Broadcasting has also agreed to Vulcan being recognized as "official Star Trek capital of Canada."

Last May, 300 residents of Vulcan were treated to a special sneak peek at J.J. Abrams's reboot of the Star Trek film franchise in Calgary.
The town, which shares the name of the home planet of Nimoy's character, had initially bid to host the world premiere of the Abrams blockbuster, but were turned down by the studio.

However, Nimoy — who had a key cameo in the film — endorsed the Canadian town and urged some sort of recognition for the community.
"If they can produce this gigantic movie and get it done with all the physical requirements that are involved in making this film, they can find some way to show it in Alberta, Canada," Nimoy said at the time. "The people of Vulcan deserve their day in the sun."

A railway surveyor named Vulcan, Alta., after the Roman god of fire in 1915. However, the town began capitalizing on its connection with Star Trek in the early 1990s by hosting a variety of Star Trek-related events, unveiling a Star Trek-inspired spaceship monument and welcome plaque and opening a space-themed visitors centre.