Kyle Lowry gets All-Star endorsement from Prime Minister of Canada

Chris Bosh will always sit atop the all-time NBA All-Star canvassing rankings. His effort to curry votes in 2008 came in the form of this YouTube ad, which remains the most hilarious bit of entertainment ever offered by an athlete. But for those who are unable to produce a banjo-filled local car dealership parody, an endorsement from the leader of your team's country isn't a bad alternative.

Such was the case for Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry on Tuesday night when the Right Honourable Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, tweeted the following:

... and during a season in which the Maple Leafs are contending, no less. Bravo, Mr. Harper.

Lowry's selection to his first All-Star game should need no assistance but the 28-year-old got jobbed last year, when he was left off the Eastern Conference's roster in favor of guards John Wall, Joe Johnson and teammate DeMar Derozan. This season, however, the 10-year veteran appears to be a lock, as he is averaging over 20 points to go along with nearly eight assists and five rebounds per game for a 24-10 Raptors team that is in the mix to be the top seed in the East.

With Wall and Dwyane Wade currently leading the fan vote at the guard spots, Lowry's fate as an All-Star will likely lie in the hands of the league's coaches. His aforementioned performance this season should speak for itself, but in case voters have any doubts, Raptors head coach Dwane Casey offered some motivation.

"I hope our fans get out and vote and don't put it in the hands of the coaches," Casey said to The Sports Network's Josh Lewenberg. "And if the coaches don't do it, I'm probably going to get in a physical fight with those guys."

If the pugilistic tradition of Canada's national sport is any indication, I bet Prime Minister Harper would be willing to throw some hands, as well