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Not only should the Alliance not get too worried if they can’t merge with the Tories, I think they should actively oppose the idea.

The old PC party under Mulroney (and, for that matter, Clark, Stanfield, and possibly earlier leaders as well) was a hybrid of Western small-c conservatives and Eastern regionals: the Quebec nationalists and Atlantic local power-brokers. The Liberals had their own coalition (Ontario-centric Loyalists, Quebec rouges, other Atlantic local power-brokers, and minority blocs). The NDP (big-s Socialists and western farm voters) was and is a much tighter band.

The ongoing mating dance between the Alliance and the Tories has got to be the most boring story in Canadian politics, and that’s really saying something. A few days ago it looked all hot and sweaty, and now both brides are buttoning up their knickers.

On-again? Off-again? Like it matters. If they don’t merge, the Grits win a whopping majority under Paul “Check for the stigmata” Martin. If they do merge, the Grits win a whopping majority under Paul “Water into wine” Martin.

Either way, the Alliance will win about 40 seats–with the Tories or without. If the Tories join up, fair enough. If they don’t, they get wiped out–two seats, maybe three.

…can only be explained by their vicious hatred of America, for daring to prove that freedom trumps socialism. The perfect example of this is the Left’s veneration of Yasser Arafat. American communist-sympathizers like President Jimmy Carter, as well as cadres of the International Left (the French, the UN, etc etc), treat Arafat like a man of peace.

This despite (because of?) his undeniable affection for suicide bombing and Islamofascist martyrdom. As long as he is targeting Jews and, secondarily, Americans, the anti-semitic Left heartily approves.

What is puzzling is the fact that Arafat’s evil past is so often ignored in media reports about the “Head” of the “Palestinian Authority”. This article in the Wall Street Journal Online, by former Romanian Intelligence Chief Ion Mihai Pacepa, is stunning in its scope.

Wow, David Warren (of the Ottawa Citizen) is on fire.

Anyone who can use the phrase “Pierre Trudeau’s satanic legacy” deserves some sort of prize.

Wish I’d thought of that. I wonder if I could get that on a bumper sticker. Or maybe as the motto to this blog: “Attacking Pierre Trudeau’s satanic legacy since 2003.”

Hey, Dave Warren, you da MAN!

I’m enjoying all of the hysterical and magical thinking which is surrounding Paul Martin’s bid to replace Chretien… a bid which (surprise surprise) looks to be successful.

Frankly Martin looks more and more like Brian Mulroney: wealthy articulate Quebec lawyer, middle of the road, loved by his partisans… and I think we know how this story ends.

The great part is that NOBODY could live up to the advance hype Martin is getting. He’s going to keep the budget balanced! While raising social spending!! And advancing social justice!!! And bringing about world peace!!!! Canadians of every political stripe are playing kissy-kissy with Martin, because he’s been so vague about his policies that Everybody thinks he supports Everything.

Have a look at this awful story from Snopes.com, the urban-myth-busting website. The story is true.

Poor surgical resident in Texas, rushing for the elevator, gets his head stuck in the door.

And then is decapitated.

Half-decapitated. The top half. (I guess you couldn’t lose the bottom half.)

Urgh…

Three Canadian medical students wrote a letter to the Canadian Medical Association Journal, describing their vigorous opposition to the victorious war in Iraq.

Even though I know it’s like shooting fish in a barrel, I have to take this on. Herewith, the Letter Itself. (Italicised comments are my own.)

Medical students not mum on Iraq (Phew! I was worried by the deafening silence! I thought maybe, you know, being Med Students, that maybe they were busy STUDYING.)

Liam Brunham*, Patricia Lee and Andrew Pinto

*Second-Year Medical Student, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; Second-Year Medical Student, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; First-Year Medical Student, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.

Very scary article at National Review Online by Peter Augustine Lawler. He presents an entirely credible theory explaining how Hillary Clinton could become President.

He outlines Howard Dean’s inevitable failure in a general election, positing instead that Gen. Wesley “What does Kofi Annan think?” Clark would be a much more viable candidate. Lawler points out that Clark already has the support of the Democratic Party establishment (i.e. Slick Willie and She Who Must Be Obeyed). But why doesn’t Hillary just run herself? After all…

[t]he main stumbling block to [Clark's] success would be Hillary entering the race. As far as I can tell, her judgment is that the risk for her at this point is too high. She surely secretly hopes for a narrow Democratic defeat next year to clear the way for her in 2008. But political results can't be engineered that precisely, and don't be surprised if she doesn't adopt the amazingly low-risk strategy of making herself available as Clark's running mate. That would make her the presumptive nominee in either 2008 or 2012, depending on the general's skill and fortune.

Mark Steyn is definitely not coming back to the National Post.

Damn.

Well, the Saudis must be quaking in their boots at this news. A Canadian House of Commons Committee is going to investigate the torture suffered by Canuck Bill Sampson at the hands of the Saudi government.

I can just see the Saudis now. “No, Abdul, say it isn’t so! A committee? Of Canadians ? Dear Allah, we’re sunk now!”

I’m sure that the MPs will be pitbulls on this issue.

Hon. Pierre Le Foufou (Vichy-Poisson-La Peche): Monsieur Ambassador, is it true that after hanging Mr. Sampson upside down for 48 hours, then beating his feet and genitals with bamboo canes, your government gave Sampson a false confession to sign?

Ambassador Mohammed Al-Hussaini (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia): Yes, yes, it is true... (sob)