A little Guatemalan bathroom humour
Canadian MP surprised to learn he’s been made the face of country’s clean-washrooms campaign
No one is quite sure just how it happened, but Conservative MP Michael Chong has somehow become the poster boy — literally — for a top-quality, “hygienic” experience in Guatemalan washrooms.
Chong’s bright smile was spotted on a poster Thursday just outside a washroom in the Central American country, with his arms folded, hair neatly combed and wearing a business suit.
The poster advertises “a special service for special people like you” in Spanish text. That special service is spelled out below: “sanitary” and “hygienic” bathroom facilities.
The poster was spotted by a visiting Canadian, Bailey Greenspon, who tweeted a photo that’s provoking hilarity on Parliament Hill.
“Having a small stroke,” Bailey tweeted. “Michael Chong, your stock photo is reassuring public washroom users in Guatemala.”
Chong responded with tongue firmly in cheek. “Just part of the Chong campaign’s international outreach in Latin America,” the leadership hopeful tweeted in reply, adding the hashtag, “#chongtourage” to the end of his post.
Chisholm Pothier, communications director for Chong’s leadership campaign, said he doesn’t know how Chong ended up being the face of toilet breaks in Guatemala, but it could be because the photos on his website were open for use.
“I’m assuming a stock-photo company downloaded it and used it,” Pothier said. “It’s not the end of the world by any means. I don’t think the photos on his website are still wide open as a result of that, but it was funny to see.”
Chong has been a model for nature’s call in Guatemala since at least 2015, when another Canadian, Tim McIntosh, said he saw the politician’s face on a poster there.
Pothier said this discovery has been a hit among Chong and his staff.
“He actually looks really good,” Pothier said. “I love the poster, too. It’s like ‘sqqqpecial service for a special gentleman.’ I’m glad that the Guatemalans think he is a special gentleman and I encourage all Canadians to feel the same sentiment and sign up before March 28 to support Michael Chong.”
It’s not the first time a Canadian politician learned that their identity had an alternate brand somewhere else in the world.
The faces of former prime minister Stephen Harper — under the name “James Williams” — as well as Chong’s leadership rival Maxime Bernier have in the past been used by scammers on dating websites to lure potential suitors.
In Istanbul, a clothing company called “Paul Martin Canadian” has, since 2008, sold a colourful array of lively, untraditionally patterned button-down shirts.
The Turkish brand has been a success. The store now sells its products in European countries such as France, Germany, Italy and Greece, as well as Iraq, Iran, Dubai, India, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and Saudi Arabia, according to the company website.