Doesn’t that look appetizing?  The story of this nearly five decades old hamburger permanently encased in plastic in the Alberta Legislature has a great local connection.

Back in 1969 Clarence Copithorne, MLA at the time for our Banff-Cochrane riding, rose during a long debate to complain about the food available in the cafeteria.  As an example he opened a desk drawer and produced this burger.  After a “hearty desk thumping from both sides of the house” in agreement, Copithorne officially tabled the hamburger with the clerk of the Legislative Assembly which turned it into official property of the Legislature.  And just like any official document, it was given a sessional paper number and sent to be filed with other government reports in the library.

Old Burger 2

The burger did end up going missing for about 40 years but resurfaced in 2008.  You can read the full story here on Atlas Obscura.