A petition launched to rename Calgary International Airport to Stephen J. Harper International Airport is now facing a counter-petition.
The online petition to rename the airport was launched Sunday, seeking the signatures of 15,000 supporters.
“As Prime Minister Harper was the longest serving prime minister from Western Canada, let us honour his accomplishments by re-renaming the Calgary Airport in his honour,” reads a message posted along with the petition. “For his nine plus years of service to the country, we believe that that a permanent recognition of his accomplishments needs to be made.
“Therefore, we are asking that the Calgary International Airport be renamed the Stephen J Harper International Airport.”
As of Tuesday morning, the petition had received over 2,100 supporters.
Several supporters commented on the idea of naming the airport after Harper:
“This would be a great way to honour one of the best Prime Ministers Canada has ever had,” Christopher Jobe wrote. “I heartily support this petition.”
Ontario resident Stuart Duncan echoed Jobe’s remarks.
A counter-petition was launched shortly after the original, attempting to prevent the renaming of the airport.
“There is currently a petition to rename the airport after Stephen Harper,” wrote petition starter Alison Cowan. “I oppose this so strongly that I wanted to provide a platform for others who also oppose it.”
The counter-petition is seeking the support of 10,000 people. As of Tuesday morning, over 3,100 supporters have signed their name.
Other airports have been named after former prime ministers: Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport, (Lester B. Pearson).
The campaign to rename the airport came under fire on social media. Using the hashtag #HarperAirport, Twitter users sarcastically mocked the idea of renaming the airport Stephen J. Harper International Airport.
Here’s a look:
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