It looks like the Conservatives have been using their billion dollar “green infrastructure fund” to help fund pipelines and forestry projects. Liberal John McCallum has asked the Auditor General to investigate the fund, but hasn’t received word yet.

The government has also spent over $86,000 in rebranding the “Harper government” in government communications. It’s not really a big number in context, but age of austerity, and all of that.

Thomas Mulcair defended his comments on the resource sector at the provincial NDP convention in Saskatchewan last weekend. According to Mulcair, people from Saskatchewan believe the polluter should pay, which is what he’s trying to say. Mulcair, meanwhile, joined forces to Pauline Marois to slam Harper as being anti-Quebec in the wake of the “secret meeting” with Mulroney. Harper’s Quebec lieutenant, Christian Paradis, says his government is ready to work with the PQ if they get elected. Oh, how I wish there was a QP today for this to come up in.

Paul Wells of Maclean’s looks at why Harper has been going easy on Mulcair.

The government has been moving toward in-house analysis of the polling data it commissions, which is troublesome for a couple of reasons – the in-house analysis doesn’t get sent to Library and Archives Canada along with the data, so we don’t know how to read it, it allows them to be read by those who have a stake in the outcome (the bureaucrats) rather than having independent advice, and there is far less transparency in the end.

Paul Martin has harsh words for the way the government is handling the Euro crisis.

Here’s more of a look into Harper’s armed RCMP detail, and how it has transformed during his time in office.

Here’s an interesting look at the gender divide in political communications and social media, with male politicians broadcasting more than interacting, unlike female political leaders, and how that difference is also reflected in coverage.

Pundit’s Guide breaks down the 2011 Canadian Election Study results on the “Orange Crush” in Quebec.

And Susan Delacourt runs down the long, long list of potential maybe Liberal leadership candidates, declared and undeclared.