Land of rape and honey ???

Let's be clear about this. "Rape" has a meaning other than forced sexual intercourse. It can also refer to rapeseed -- Brassica napus -- a bright-yellow flowering member of the mustard or cabbage family. It is variously known as rape, oilseed rape, rapa, rappi, rapaseed, and, in the case of one particular group of cultivars, canola. Yes, Virginia, the "canola" from which your margarine and cooking oil may be made.

In China, where it is consumed as a vegetable, rape is called 油菜. Forced sexual intercourse or violation is 强奸. (Thanks to Agent 78 for this.) So in Chinese there's no confusion, but in English, well, people other than agriculturists might be baffled on driving into the northeastern Saskatchewan town of Tisdale (hard by Star City and down the road from Lilac) and seeing this sign.

Or this one.

Apparently it never occurred to the city fathers, many of whom raised rape as a cash crop, that the "Land of Rape and Honey" slogan might upset people whose filthy minds think first of sexual assault.

Having heard gasps and guffaws for the sixty-odd years the slogan has been used, the Tisdale town council is having another think. Statistics from the federal and provincial agricultural departments show that organic rapeseed now accounts for less than one (1) per cent of the crops grown in the region. Canola is now king. And honey production has decreased significantly as well.

So the council is asking residents for their opinions on the suitability of a number of alternative slogans, including:

"Hub of the Northeast" (But Saskatchewan is in the West, eh?)

"A Place to Grow" (As in growing canola, Walt guesses. You don't grow honey.)

"A Place to Bee" (Geddit? As you can see, Tisdale actually has a Big Bee.)

Or how about "Land of Canola and Honey".

To encourage participation in the survey, the council is offering prizes. Top prize is a barbecue. There are also, errr, lesser prizes. Walt doesn't know if non-residents are allowed to enter, but if you have an opinion, send it on a postcard to "The Big Bee, Tisdale, SK, Canada - S0E 1T0". Tell `em Walt told ya.