Lorne Gunter on Iggy:
Back in January, at a pub in Vancouver's Gastown district, the Grit boss said of the oil sands, "everybody expects me to say they're terrible and shut then down. Absolutely not." Instead, while conceding that there were environmental problems with oil extraction from Alberta's northern muskeg, Mr. Ignatieff raved about the technological marvel of the oil sands. They will drive our future economic growth and increase Canada's strategic importance in the world, he explained.
He also, in no uncertain terms, lambasted the carbon tax proposals of his predecessor, Stephane Dion, insisting they "killed" Liberal prospects in the last election. Sometimes he has sounded more like the Premier of Alberta, Ed Stelmach, than Mr. Stelmach himself.
Gordon Gibson -- What day is it?
When that happens, I return to the beginning: We will be blessed by a choice between two fine minds at the peak of their powers. The TV networks, no doubt, will curse us with the usual boring debates of four or five leaders. But I hope they'll spare at least an hour for a fiery one-on-one between Mr. Harper and Mr. Ignatieff.
Richard Martineau:
Après les policiers de Montréal, c'est au tour des constables spéciaux du gouvernement (qui sont chargés de la sécurité dans les palais de justice et à l'Assemblée nationale) de porter des pantalons de camouflage afin de forcer l'État à leur accorder une hausse salariale.
Que les représentants des forces de l'ordre utilisent un «moyen de pression vestimentaire» pour communiquer leur message, soit.
Mais des pantalons d'armée ? C'est loin d'être l'idée du siècle...
Ellen Roseman explains how credit cards can actually be used for good.
Don Martin clearly is not feeling any suffering from this recession -- other than paying taxes.
John Ibbitson is honestly afraid that things are over for Anglo-Saxons:
Anglo-Saxon isn't a race, it's an idea, which is why Mr. Sarkozy will berate Mr. Obama's Anglo-Saxon economics without irony. The recession will end, growth will resume and emerging economies will move closer to the Anglo-American model, because history has proved it works. This truth should be beyond debate, although it's a heck of a job getting some people to see it.
Roy Clancy is still waiting for meaningful changes to Alberta health care.
Thomas Walkom:
Government involvement in the affairs of auto manufacturers is hardly new. Japan built its auto industry with state help, as did Korea. France's Renault company is still partly owned by the French government. Indeed, with the notable exception of Canada (and latterly Britain), every nation in the G7 club of major industrial economies has insisted on nurturing strong, domestically owned auto companies.
What's intriguing about Obama's effective nationalization of GM and Chrysler is that he hasn't bothered with the nuisance of demanding equity shares that might allow the public to benefit from any gains. He simply argues that if the companies want U.S. government money, they will have to do what the U.S. government wants
What's intriguing about Canada's role is that, save for their 20-per-cent-of-production demand, our governments haven't even done that. They are not, for instance, requiring job guarantees. Nor are they demanding that manufacturers build so-called cars of the future in Canadian plants.
In effect, Ottawa and Queen's Park are telling the car companies this: If you want Canadian taxpayer money, you'll have to do what the U.S. government wants.