Memo to Harper: Give Them Rope to Hang Themselves

Let them go and form a government. Lame Duck Dion, the Separatist and Jacko the Mustachioed Socialist. What a terrible cast, time and situation for a coup.

What surprises me is that Iggy is letting it happen. He's rolling the dice on these clowns with his future on the line.

UPDATE: The backlash is already in full swing, even in the Liberal stronghold of Toronto

Prediction: This time next week, this will all be flamed out.

UPDATE II: Uproarious Question Period in the House of Commons today. Great viewing. Don't miss the highlights on the news. Harper performed at the top of his game.

UPDATE III: Dion was taking questions from the press in the lobby and saying it is good for national unity to have the Bloc in the government. Oh boy, that's not going to play well in the west.

UPDATE IV: As per reader Fydor's request, the direct quote from Dion, when asked about the Bloc being part of the coalition is: "I think it's good for unity." I still do not have the video for it.

Former Ottawan Harbours Pirates

In despair after the Rough Riders folded, Mohamud Muse Hersi went back to Somalia. (article)

Hersi emigrated to Canada in the 1980s, bought a gas station and raised a family, but his clan connections to Somalia remained strong. When the elders of Puntland were looking for a new president in 2005, they chose Hersi.

There are about a dozen hijacked ships anchored off the Puntland coast at the moment, waiting as the pirates and shipowners haggle over ransom money.

Hersi's critics accuse him and his ministers of taking bribes from the pirates to look the other way.

UPDATE: The Ottawa Citzen has more details. They mention that he owned a Richmond Road gas station. I wish they would say which one. When I was in high school, I worked pumping gas on Richmond Road.