Conservatives take two seats

Well, the by-election results are in and it looks like the Conservatives are…up on? Really? From a Bloc riding? Who knew? Well, considering the Bloc is calling shenanigans, and have filed a police complaint about possible identity theft (no, really), one has to wonder. Of course, the Conservatives say that they *totally* didn’t do it. But considering that there was a “demon dialler” used in this instance, does anyone remember what happened during the last election with demon dialler shenanigans in Saanich-Gulf Islands? And how Gary Lunn won by fewer votes than went to an NDP candidate who was no longer in the running because this demon dialler started reminding people to vote for this non-existant candidate? Coincidence? Hmmm…

Otherwise, the other three ridings remained the same. Err, the same in that Bill Casey’s riding was originally Conservative, and now it is again, and that riding has been Conservative since the days of Sir Charles Tupper, so that’s not such a big surprise. I guess technically they’re up two now, which still isn’t enough to put them into majority territory, but one wonders if it’ll give them confidence enough to try and force an unnecessary and opportunistic election to try and get that majority sooner than later (while blaming the other parties for it, of course).

It’s not just novelty cheques showing up at government funding announcements – apparently so are Conservative candidates when those announcements are in opposition-held ridings. Even when the current MP helped with funding applications. No word yet on if Elections Canada is going to look into this particular practice, but it does make government business look all the more partisan when it’s being used to showcase candidates, linking them to the funding being announced.

Her Excellency presented new medals for sacrifice for Canadian Forces personnel killed or wounded in the line of duty.

The Globe and Mail takes a look at the practice of Harper’s private PMO photographers taking a few too many photos to distribute to media, shutting out legitimate photo journalists to record events that could be independently verified – or images that aren’t carefully arranged and scripted. Case in point yesterday – the PMO sent out photos from the medal ceremony at Rideau Hall, and all you could see was the back of one of those wounded soldiers, with Harper’s grinning mug as he shook his hand. Not cool.

Prince Charles spent most of yesterday at the Canadian Naval Base in Esquimalt, BC, where he received a medal for his years as an honorary member of the Canadian Navy (having served in the Royal Navy himself for many years). Today the Royal Couple are here in Ottawa, as well as Montreal.