This is the week that was

Kevin Page talked about the future of the parliamentary budget officer. The Prime Minister’s Office uploaded evidence of the Prime Minister’s support for carbon trading. The Harper government spent another $78 million in advertising. Thomas Mulcair outlined his party’s perspective in Washington, was scorned by Conservatives for not endorsing Keystone (while the Conservatives raised money) and talked taxes. Marc Garneau quit the Liberal leadership race, clearing the way for Justin Trudeau. Bert Brown worried that without the Senate we would become a dictatorship. Jim Flaherty promised a budget. Justin Trudeau made gains in Quebec. And Peter Penashue resigned and the race to replace him began.

Greg Fingas questioned the logic of Joyce Murray’s co-operation plan. Chris Selley considered Preston Manning’s advice. Keith Neuman argued Canadians would support a carbon tax. The Globe dismissed the CBC’s Jack Layton biopic. And Jonathan Kay wondered if we all owed Marc Garneau an apology.

I spent the weekend at the Manning conference listening to Ezra Levant, Ron Paul and Jason Kenney. John Geddes wondered about the proposal for an 1812 monument on Parliament Hill. Nick Taylor-Vaisey looked at Mr. Mulcair’s Washington gambit. And Paul Wells looked ahead to the Justin Trudeau era.