Hoping for that bounce

Hoping for that post-Olympic bounce in the polls, Stephen Harper sent out about 50 PMO photos to the media yesterday, most of them showing him doing something obnoxious like high-fiving whichever VIP was watching whichever Olympic event he was at. Seriously?

On the photo-op front, Jack Layton’s press secretary said he totally wasn’t trying to keep in that now infamous shot – he was simply trying to see the TV he was watching. Uh huh. CTV is trying to make hay of the fact that there were no shots of Ignatieff cheering on the game (because apparently he’s not Canadian enough if he didn’t park himself in front of a camera to show his patriotism by watching hockey). Ignatieff instead penned an op-ed extolling the virtues of owning the podium, but hey, he wasn’t seen watching the game, so now we must call his patriotism into question.

The questions about the debate on the issue of privilege and possible contempt of Parliament apparently need to come up pretty quickly once the House comes back, but MP Derek Lee – the man who literally wrote the book on Parliament compelling documents, and who is moving this motion – says he hopes that Parliament can “walk and chew gum at the same time” on the issue. In other words, that it can debate this and the budget. The Liberals, apparently, have also given the government an out in that calling a public inquiry will satisfy their requirement for disclosure. And the government? Says they’re focused on the economy. Because apparently they can’t walk and chew gum at the same time (but didn’t prorogation prove that point?)

On the subject of the budget, Jim Flaherty says this budget is all about saying no to new spending. Except of course for stimulus projects to Conservative ridings, I’m sure.

Her Excellency has put out a video message about the closing of the Olympic games. She will also apparently visit her earthquake-ravaged hometown in Haiti next week.

Up today – there are press conferences by Liberal Derek Lee on his Breach of Privilege motion, and Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament, who want to talk about the next phase of their organisation now that Parliament is coming back.