The Onion, that paper your friend’s friend picked up in Milwaukee that one time, now available in Toronto

Joking aside: in its first export from the United States, satirical newspaper The Onion landed in T.O. this morning. Long popular with Torontonians online, the weekly teamed up with the Toronto Star to bring free print copies to some 600 boxes around the city, with particular concentrations around campuses. (The paper’s arrival might be bad news for homegrown equivalent The Smew, which, perhaps in anticipation, has put up images of its logo around town.) With the exception of entertainment section The A.V. Club and its companion website, both edited by John Semley, readers will find Toronto’s Onion remains decidedly American. Indeed, the lead story from today’s edition is “Congress Takes Group Of Schoolchildren Hostage” (which caused predictable confusion and outrage on Twitter). Torontonians are graced with Canadian advertisements, however, including promotions for noted Canadian humorists Rick Mercer, Jon Lajoie and, er, Andrea Horwath. The paper’s launch was accompanied by a party last night at the Drake Hotel, where revelers were treated to a potted (and mostly fictional) company history delivered by Joe Garden, the features editor. Garden, channelling his inner Dwight Schrute, also highlighted some of The Onion’s notable Canadian stories:  “Perky ‘Canada’ Has Own Government, Laws” and “Toronto Columnist Writes Annual ‘Blue Jays Have A Chance’ Article.”