Stephen Harper asked his Twitter followers on Thursday to send him questions for Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield in advance of an online chat later this month.
It did not go well.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the prime minister — who has recently been accused of ‘muzzling’ federal scientists by a foreign researcher, Rick Mercer and Liberal leadership hopeful Marc Garneau — was mocked online almost immediately.
Harper’s initial tweet seemed harmless enough.
"Kids! I’ll be speaking live online with @Cmdr_Hadfield later this month. Use #pmhadfield to submit your questions to me by noon tomorrow."
But, the suggested hashtag, #pmhadfield, was soon hijacked by Twitter users who are less than impressed.
Below is just a sample of some of the reactions this afternoon.
The tweet is just the latest example of Harper trying to beef up his social media presence. In January, the PM offered Canadians a glimpse inside his routine with a series of ‘day in the life’ photos. Late last month, Harper tweeted a photo of himself “rolling up the rim” at a Saskatoon hockey game.
While many seemed to get a kick out those entries, this tweet may be destined to become a bit of a #fail.
It would seem Harper can learn a thing or two from Hadfield when they chat online. The Canadian astronaut, currently orbiting around the Earth aboard the International Space Station, has become a Twitter sensation thanks, in large part, to the stunning photos he shares with followers.
