Just read this blog the other day and thought some of the Xmarkers from Canada might find it kind of interesting. The author feels the Great Highland Bagpipe should be officially recognized as Canada's national instrument. There is even a link to a FB page for support in the article. Here is a link to the blog;
http://blogpipe-pipesdrums.com/2011/...rong-and-free/

Everything you've said is true - but because the fiddle/violin appeals to both high culture and low culture VOTERS, and is popular with both old Canadians, Metis, Maritimers, Newfoundlanders and French Canadians, a politician would choose it over the pipes I think.

And both while need careful tuning, pipes are more objectionable if badly tuned. A fiddler can just adjust where his/her finger is if a string isn't quite right.
This is all quite debatable anyway.