Goose was trying to instigate. It's like when you say "can I go to the bathroom" you are supposed to ask "may I."
However in this case it is silly, as saying everybody can go is just wrong. Unless you consider having a job, not having the airfare, etc., not reasonable excuses to "can" as I suppose you "could" rob your neighbor for the money, quit your job, flee the country, and make it to the meet?