In a recent episode of Canada’s favourite comedy series, Corner Gas, there was a serious political discussion going down at The Ruby diner.

Hank (Fred Ewanuik) and Lacey (Gabrielle Miller) were arguing about which city is the capital of Canada: Toronto or Ottawa. Hank looked to his left and asked a patron if Ottawa is, in fact, the nation’s capital. “Yep,’’ the laconic man said, “definitely Ottawa.’’

This tiniest of bit parts was played by none other than the normally voluble federal Finance Minister Ralph Goodale, who grew up in Wilcox, Sask., just a few miles down the road from Rouleau, the site of Dog River, the fictional town where Corner Gas takes place.

The Regina MP is one of a host of celebrities to appear on the hit CTV series created by comedian and Tisdale, Sask., native Brent Butt. In an earlier episode, Prime Minister Paul Martin attempted to make an impromptu address to the nation, but Butt interrupted him: “Hello Mr. Prime Minister. Um, I’m just kind of wondering what you’re doing?” PM: “I’m speaking to the nation. I’m addressing Canada!’’ Butt: “Um, Is this something you have to do right now?’’ PM: “Is now a bad time?’’

(Martin taped the segment earlier this summer in Regina.)

A Saskatchewan in-joke?

Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert has had a walk-on, as has Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco. Mayor Fiacco even had the added privilege of being called a “jackass’’ by the town curmudgeon, Oscar (played by Eric Peterson, who hails from nearby Indian Head. Oscar’s wife, Emma, is played by Saskatoon-born actress Janet Wright.)

Other notables to have cameos on the show include former Toronto Maple Leafs star Darryl Sittler, actress Shirley Douglas — the daughter of former Saskatchewan premier and federal NDP leader Tommy Douglas — and Pamela Wallin, Canada’s consul-general in New York.

If you haven’t watched Corner Gas, you might think it’s some sort of Saskatchewan in-joke, written by Saskatchewanians, played — in part — by Saskatchewanians, solely for Saskatchewanians. But the show has millions of fans across the country, from British Columbia to Newfoundland, and as far away as Dallas.

In fact, Corner Gas is far and away the most-watched Canadian TV show, with a peak audience of 2.2 million viewers.

Now in its third season, Corner Gas has struck a chord with Canadians, with its gentle but quirky sense of humour. Filmed on location in Rouleau and at the Canada-Saskatchewan Production Studios in Regina, Corner Gas is part of a film-making explosion in the province. This year, the film and video industry is expected to spend $80 million in the province and create more than 650 full-time jobs.

The provincial government would like to see more of those jobs go to Saskatchewan residents, so it recently increased its tax credits to 45% from 35% of eligible production costs, but capped the percentage of non-Saskatchewan employees at 25%.

The tax credit program costs the province more than $5 million a year, but that seems a small price to pay for turning Saskatchewan into the next Hollywood North. Recent theatrical releases such as the Christmas comedy Just Friends and Terry Gilliam’s Tideland were shot in Regina, making the Queen City fertile ground for celebrity sightings, including Bo Derek, John Corbett, Dylan McDermott, Jennifer Tilley, Jeff Bridges and, of course, Saskatchewan’s own Brett Butt. IE