Preview of Episode 7 "I Could Be Prime Minister"

There are major spoilers here that may offend the squeamish. 

Oh, the horror! The horror!

As all six teams survive a KOR at the pitstop in Hamilton, and are now heading to Kingston, we are all left with the worst cliffhanger since "Who killed J.R.?" or, more recently, "Who did Lucille kill?" We are all on pins and needles over the fate of poor, poor dear Joel and Ashley. All I can say is...

DON'T BE CONCERNED!!!

I promise...they'll be just fine. Well, they will have to endure that nasty double U-Turn, but they will not be the team eliminated this week. That's the good news. And the bad news, you ask? Well, you're going to have to read on for that.

This is sure to be a jam-packed, edge-of-your-seat episode. It looks like Kingston went all out for this one.

Teams had to take a taxi from the Pitstop to Aldershot GO station, travel to Union Station in Toronto, then catch a ViaRail train to Kingston. From what I can determine from the preview, sightings and various other clues, teams will have two available trains from Toronto Union Station to Kingston. The first leaves Union Station at 3:30 PM and the second (and last for the day) at 5:41 PM. So, the timing of the GO train from Aldershot east to Union is everything. 

[If you're not from Canada, or you've never been exposed to the Greater Toronto Area (the G.T.A.), let me explain. The GO train is a commuter train for the GTA, while ViaRail is national, intercity transportation. GO uses the same rail system as ViaRail (including many of the same stops), and the two systems connect at Union Station. Travel time from Aldershot to Toronto Union Station is just over an hour.]

I am very sure that Steph and Kristen caught the 3:30 ViaRail train, but I think Jillian and Emmett just miss it and take the 5:41 along with Julie & Lowell, Rita & Yvette, and Frankie & Amy. These four teams meet up at Union Station and the truth of those Express Passes come out. Yeah, Frankie and Amy spill the beans. Why wouldn't they? They made NO deal or promise to Steph & Kristen, as did Ashley and Joel. The point is, they were all hanging around, talking and in no rush to make the 3:30 PM train. Now as for Ashley and Joel...do they make that 5:41 train? Or do they have to wait until the next day and get left behind, like Steph and Kristen said?

PFFT!

IT DOESN"T REALLY MATTER.

Even if they are forced to wait until the next morning and catch the 6 AM train, the leg will have barely started by the time they arrive in Kingston.

Here is my handy-dandy map of the Kingston locations, it's just a little extra service I provide:

The first stop will be at Springer Market Square. Filming sightings were not clear if there is an actual task there, but this cap from the preview shows Rita and Yvette (and maybe Ashley) at Vader's Maple Syrup stall, behind Steph and Kristen. I kind of hope it's a task, because boy-oh-boy, do I have a good joke lined up for that. And I am sure Lowell will too. I can see him asking, "Excuse me. Do you guys sell light AND dark maple syrup?" In addition, there is a task involving Chevy Cruzes parked on Clarence St. (it was closed from King to Wellington). The cars are not just for a self-driving leg. (They may be used after the task???) No, they were not filming a TV commercial that day, like several people tweeted - the cover story. Hey, do you think they have to calculate the number of maple syrup bottles the gas tank holds? Or maybe the kmpmsb? That would be kilometers per maple syrup bottle?

And...Joel and Ashley were seen right alongside everyone else at this Chevy Cruze task. See? I told you the whole cliffhanger thing was a non-issue.

The Detour is next, and one side is Bubble Soccer at Queen's University. It appears that they must do several tasks, like guiding a soccer ball and avoid being tumbled by a blocker. Maybe even score. A lot of fun. Hmmn. This all reminds me of something. Big Brother couple. Amazing Race. Bubble balls. Someone squealing. Oh well, it will come to me sooner or later. Jillian and Emmett are there first, followed by Steph and Kristen. In the preview, Emmett says he wants to get this task done to beat the girls to the 2X U-Turn board. He clearly wants to U-Turn them. More tension resulting from that Express Pass crap, I'm sure. Is this Express Pass drama ever going to end? Ugh.

The preview suggests the second Detour task is sailing from the Kingston Yacht Club. Production has been known to wave a few red herrings under our noses, but I am going to go with it. There are comedic shots of Rita & Yvette and Frankie & Amy doing this task.

Here is what happens at the Detour tasks and the U-Turn board:

The board is full by the time Frankie & Amy Arrive.

Although Jillian & Emmett are already mid-way through the Bubble Soccer when Steph & Kristen arrive, it's the girls who get to the board first. Yes, Team Jemmett get U-Turned and must also do the other side of the Detour. But wait all you dear Jemmett fans... Jillian and Emmett must have completed this pronto, because they U-Turn Joel and Ashley. There is a split second in the preview that shows Frankie and Amy reaching the board, after the board if full. So, at best, they are in third place. The Mother/Daughter team really lucked out on this, avoiding getting embroiled in all the Express Pass turmoil and hard feelings.

There is a Route Marker at Bellevue House, the home of Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir John A. MacDonald. There should be some kind of task here, otherwise I do not think they would devote a title quote to it. A task here would also give relief to the U-Turned teams, so it makes sense.

The Pitstop is at Fort Henry. There was a sighting there, but if you noticed the confessional at the end of the Hamilton leg, Joel and Ashley are seen with Kingston and The Royal Military College behind them.

The winner? Since Steph and Kristen U-Turned Jillian and Emmett, my first inclination is to say that Steph and Kristen win this leg.

Now for the bad news. Get your Kleenex out.

Julie and Lowell will be eliminated here. I know, I know. I don't like it either. The married couple has been one of my favourite teams right from the get-go. I just hope their quest does not end with one task that Lowell can't do. They are not shown performing tasks in any of the previews, but they will be behind by the time they reach the U-Turn Board. I don't know. I am sure they will go out with grace, and maybe a pun or two.

The episode 6 confessional was NOT in Hamilton.

Updated: Additional information from Peter Hendra, The Kingston Whig Standard Aug 8, 2016
The Chevy Cruz task: cars had to be unlocked using a cellphone.
Bellevue House: is the Roadblock. One member from each team will have to memorize and recite a speech by Sir John A. MacDonald [My Note: I had already thought the title quote would result from the Bellevue House task, but obviously someone is going to say this after successfully reciting the speech.]

PROGRAMMING NOTE: 

According to the CTV Press Release, the August 16th episode (for Leg 8) will be pre-empted. Instead, CTV is airing a mid-season recap show. "THE AMAZING RACE CANADA: TOP 20 MOMENTS" counts down the 20 biggest and most exciting moments from the race so far, giving viewers the chance to relive all of the Roadblocks, Detours, tears, laughs and challenges that the Racers encountered. New episodes will resume August 23.