As It Happens

Did John Oliver mistake Canada's House of Commons for the U.K.'s House of Lords? Yes.

In an episode of HBO's Last Week Tonight that aired on Sunday night, John Oliver mistakes Canada's House of Commons for the U.K.'s House of Lords.
John Oliver as our sergeant-at-arms, floating high above Ottawa, holding a 'giant golden mace,' wearing a Mountie Hat ... and eating a large poutine.

In a recent episode of HBO's Last Week Tonight John Oliver passed off Canada's House of Commons for the U.K.'s House of Lords. Look, we know what Janice In Accounting thinks of all of this. But, we're hoping Oliver and the gang will clear things up this Sunday when a new episode hits the air (11 p.m. ET/MT on HBO Canada).

If anyone can issue a correction about Canada's #GiantGoldenMace and make it hilarious, it's John Oliver. 

(Last Week Tonight )

Here's what happened last week. Oliver, a Brit, is seen talking about a recent story in the news in which U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron was defeated in the House of Lords. The issue was over welfare reforms. 

(HBO Last Week Tonight )


Here's what Oliver joked:

"Yes, the House of Lords told David Cameron he was being too hard on poor people. A place that looks like this where Lords and Baronesses sit on fancy red benches and a man wields a giant golden mace whose only practical purpose appears to be smashing peasants."

You can watch the video here:

In the segment, he gestures to his right pointing to someone holding a "giant golden mace." That someone is Kevin Vickers. That ceremonial mace is ours. And that happens to be Canada's House of Commons.

Sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers carries the mace from the House of Commons at the end of a session in 2011. Vickers, the man who is reported to have shot an assailant on Parliament Hill, is a former police officer with a background in providing security services for dignitaries, including members of the Royal Family. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

The picture of our former sergeant-at-arms was taken by Canadian Press photographer Adrian Wyld at the end of the 2011 House of Commons session.

Oliver is no stranger to Canadian politics. Back in May, his show mocked our Senate expenses scandal. More recently, we got to watch his brilliant take on last month's election.

We know mistakes can happen. And we're huge fans of Last Week Tonight. We've reached out to Oliver and his team on Twitter. We're still waiting for a response...

Last Week Tonight will air this Sunday at 11PM ET/MT on HBO Canada. Here's what Twitter has to say about the mix-up: