Chirac tricked by Canadian hoax (BBC News)

[Up2Late]

(Does this mean that Chirac is still waiting for the new Canadian PM to call? How long does that usually take up there in Canada?)

Saturday, 28 January 2006, 00:37 GMT

Chirac tricked by Canadian hoax

French President Jacques Chirac thought he had taken a call on Friday from the new Canadian prime minister - but found himself the victim of a radio hoax.

The pair of hoaxers, known as the Masked Avengers, rang the Elysee Palace from their base in Montreal. Mr Chirac congratulated the caller he thought was Conservative leader Stephen Harper on winning Monday's election.

When impersonator Marc-Antoine Audette finally gave his true identity, the president burst out laughing.

Thick accent

Audette and his partner in crime Sebastien Trudel work for the CKOI station, Canada's most popular with more than one million listeners. Audette said: "It was the first time Sebastien and me had spoken to a head of state."

As Mr Harper and Mr Chirac had yet to speak, "We said, why not, we'll give it a go and we're delighted that it worked," Audette said. Mr Chirac began by saying: "I would like to offer my congratulations for your election victory. We have excellent relations and I'm sure they'll carry on in the best spirit."

(more at link below)

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4656650.stm>

[Kagemusha]

1. These guys have pulled this many times before I think

...And it keeps working.

[Ian David]

2. Hey, they should call to congratulate Hamas. That'll be a hoot!

Didn't one radio station already trigger an international incident calling Castro or something?