Blue Like You

Brenda’s on her way to Kitchener.

Update : She’s ba-a-a-a-ck .

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Friday Update : Brenda, was that actually a THANK-YOU , I heard? Via the Ottawa Citizen - "I am so grateful to be home", by Charles Rusnell:

The anger and bitterness that consumed Brenda Martin during more than two years in a Mexican prison disappeared the moment she landed on Canadian soil yesterday…

Ah, let’s hope so.

Brenda Martin has had way more than her 15 minutes of fame.

City News : Brenda could be released from jail Friday .

Looks like I’m not the only one who saw yesterday’s Crop poll as a tremendous birthday gift for Stephen Harper . The Gazette’s L. Ian MacDonald was obviously also impressed with the results. (H/T to National Newswatch )

Of course we are always reminded that polls are merely a snapshot in time, and political fortunes can turn on a dime . (Hey, I might try writing poetry!)

However these Crop results indicate a worrisome trend for the Bloc :

…While Harper’s Conservatives are off two points from last month to 27 per cent, the Bloc has dropped two points to a virtual tie at 28 per cent, with the Liberals stable at 20 per cent, and the NDP growing three points to 17 per cent .

This is the first time in memory that the Bloc has dropped below 30 per cent. At 28 per cent, it is 14 points below its 42 per cent score in the 2006 election. Stated another way, one Bloc voter in three has moved away from it .

And when you look at the key francophone demographic, 85 per cent of the voting pool, the news is simply devastating for Stéphane Dion and the Liberals. The Bloc is at 33 per cent in this segment, the Conservatives at 28 per cent, the NDP at 18 per cent and the Liberals at 13 per cent. Yikes …

Yikes indeed.

If the Liberals ever get off their collective butts and actually vote against the government on a confidence motion, it could very well be the Bloc that blocks it to save their own skins - as well as their salaries and pensions.

Federalist sentiment in Quebec is on an upward trend and the LPC is clearly not the favourite in that race.

The only bright spot for the Liberals is that the Bloc may allow them to regain some of their tarnished dignity and once again act like the Official Opposition rather than merely the Party of Outraged Seat-Warmers .

And as MacDonald mentioned, continuing to be Prime Minister of Canada for the indefinite future isn’t such a bad deal for Stephen Harper .

Who’s going to challenge him?