Here’s Rick Mercer talking with Jian Ghomeshi on CBC’s Q. “A good rant comes from your gut,” says Mercer in the interview. “The fact that I actually get to voice my opinion every week is a huge privilege.”

In a recent Maclean’s article, Rick Mercer discussed his trademark tool—the rant—and championed it’s power not only as a comedic device, but as essential to a healthy democracy. “The danger in not ranting is dire,” says Mercer. “If we as a nation don’t rant then the powers that be will use that complacency against us.”

This week, Canada pulled out of the Kyoto Protocol. The decision “had long been expected,” writes the New York Times. In fact, Rick Mercer called it way back in March of last year.

Rick Mercer rants against the war on fun! 

A hilarious clip of Rick Mercer talking about—and debunking—various Canadian stereotypes, including off-the-cuff riffs on hockey, Tim Hortons coffee, and why the rest of the country hates Toronto.