At a meeting of the Canadian Bar Association, Rob Nicholson said that they shouldn’t rule out giving judicial appointments to “hypothetical” sitting politicians. No, seriously. This amid continual rumours that they’re eventually one day maybe going to appoint Vic Toews to the Court of Queen’s Bench in Manitoba. He then proceeded to dodge a question about a call to review federal legal aid funding – you know, to make justice accessible to the public in an age where their government continues to make the Criminal Code increasingly complex and at times even nonsensical (if you compare mandatory minimum sentences).

Leona Aglukkaq wants the debate around healthcare to be based around facts and not rhetoric. Hahahahaha! *wipes eyes* Oh, that’s a good one. I’m guessing she’s never actually absorbed the talking points that she has so dutifully memorised.

Charlie Angus is complaining that the Director of Public Prosecutions won’t look into Dean Del Mastro’s electoral financing even though it’s not the DPP’s job, no matter that Angus would like it to be. Seriously, you can’t just invent job descriptions because you want them to do something.

Harper says that his government did their “due diligence” with the aid group they propose to funnel Syrian aid dollars through, despite its past connections with al-Qaeda fundraisers.

Not surprisingly, Northern Gateway and the Nexen-CNOOC deal will likely be discussed at the forthcoming Conservative caucus meeting.

A former Liberal House Leader suggests that the Standing Orders be amended to restrict how amendments are added at report stage to prevent more incidences of round-the-clock voting as there was in the spring, but adds that restrictions around omnibus legislation also need to be put into place. There is logic to his rationale, but one does have to balance it with the ability of independent MPs to actually contribute to the process since they’re shut out of committees.

While Brent Rathgeber said that MPs should keep their noses out of the electoral boundaries commissions, Liberal Ralph Goodale blogs that he’s happy with what he sees in Saskatchewan, where they will now have actual urban ridings in a province that is now 40 percent urban.

For what it’s worth, all of those War of 1812 ads that the government ran during Olympic coverage cost the treasury $1.64 million.

Apparently retired Lieutenant General Andrew Leslie, who wrote that scathing report on Canadian Forces transformation, is a serious contender to be brought out of retirement and appointed as Chief of Defence Staff.

Economist Mike Moffatt examines – and pans – Jean Charest’s proposal around blocking foreign takeovers of Quebec companies.

Kady O’Malley combs the financial returns and ponders the question about whether having the party leader as your MP brings in the big bucks for the riding association.

And here’s a great interview with outgoing Supreme Court Justice Marie Deschamps. She wants to look at education and ethics in the next phase of her career.