Speak your mind for a Loonie, and a chance to be on TV

At Queen Street and John in the heart of downtown Toronto, in front of the ChumCity broadcast facility, is a small booth featuring a video camera, sound equipment, and a coin slot that is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For a Canadian dollar (known affectionately as a Looney) you can look right into the camera and speak your mind about anything you want, from current events to shout-outs to your homeys. And, if you are very expressive, funny, poignant, or just pretty damn interesting, there is a chance that your pontifications will be shown on television to the Greater Toronto Area population.

The show you may be on is Speakers' Corner, which appears every Sunday at 7:30 on Toronto's Citytv. Speakers' Corner began in 1990 and has featured everything from requests for assistance in looking for missing children or pets, rants on the day's news stories, and even spontaneous stand-up comedy bits. It has also been used by various musical acts, including Canada's own Barenaked Ladies, to obtain exposure. According to the Speaker's Corner website the most compelling and topical entries are selected for broadcast. They also have a better chance of being aired if your views are concise and to the point.

So, the next time you're in Toronto  and want to vent your spleen stop by the video booth, insert your Looney (which is donated to charity) and express your opinion. You may be an instant star . . . in Canada, at least.