Who needs context?

Another day, another round of pre-writ attack ads. In this installment, the Conservatives have taken something Michael Ignatieff said out of context. But really out of context this time. And as it exploded over the internet, the Liberal remixes immediately started up, taking a clip of Harper out of context in the same manner to say that he thinks eating children is okay. Fair is fair, right? And the Conservative Party’s communications director said he didn’t feel any lines were crossed. Okay then. Apparently there is no shame left in Canadian politics.

In other news, Jack Layton says he has “no bottom line” when it comes to whether he’ll support the next budget, and he’ll actually read it before deciding whether or not to vote against it. Unlike every previous budget.

After cutting programs that showcase Canadian arts around the world, the Conservatives would rather peddle in our stereotypes – like setting up a booth with beavertails and Red Serge-clad Mounties at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Also in Davos, Scott Brison met with the UAE’s foreign minister, who told him that he’s been “insulted” by Harper’s war of words with his country.

A large organization of Christian churches is now condemning the government’s “tough on crime” plans. This almost sounds like it’s getting serious.

A couple of years ago, the Privy Council Office got caught spending huge amounts of money on polling, after the Conservatives rode into office talking about how awful that practice was. Well, now it seems they’re spending that money on media monitoring instead, so that they can keep track of everything the press says about them.

The government has been quietly looking at ways to replace security certificates legislation to deport suspected terrorist suspects.

And the Liberals have sent out a “just the facts” memo to Peter MacKay, regarding west coast geography. But while MacKay could later laugh about it, Arnold Schwarzenegger told a later audience that Montreal was the capital of Canada (well, it was for a while in the mid-1800s…), that we sent soldiers to Iraq (I believe a few special ops JTF2 guys for something or other) and Michael Ignatieff called US Defence Secretary Robert Gates “Bill Gates.”