However, thanks to andrewcoyne.com, we hear that Saskatchewan's provincial flower is a protected species.

Hmmm.

I don't think that there is a big lily conspiracy. What's more likely is that the flower on Mr. Goodale's lapel is not the L. philadelphicum that is protected, but the more common garden variety L. tigrinum or Lilium lancifolium. (And who says that you don't learn anything on the Internet?) Of course, technically, the garden variety tiger lily is not Saskatchewan's provincial flower. Hm.

By the way, if anyone knows the background and history of why Finance Ministers wear flowers for budget speeches, feel free to give me a shout.

Anyway, I do like the idea of wearing provincial emblems for Budget Speeches. (Question: If John Efford were Finance Minister, would he wear a dead animal on his lapel? Just asking.)

(The Tiger Lily photo is courtesy of gimp-savvy.com and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.)