The federal government has reluctantly decided to stop opposing the listing of asbestos as a hazardous chemical product, and is blaming the PQ for the move, as they also announce funding to help the communities around Thetford Mines transition to a new economy. No, seriously – they’re actually put out that they have to stop supporting the export of known carcinogens because Pauline Marois no longer wants to play ball. At least one Conservative MP has broken ranks and is happy about the announcement. Paul Wells offers up his analysis here.

John Baird has made a major policy announcement that lists the rights of women and gays and lesbians as priorities with our engagement with emerging democracies, which is an encouraging sign. Jason Kenney wants you to pat him on the back for making Canada a haven for gay Iranian refugees – while politely ignoring the fact that he’s made it more difficult for gay African refugees.

Thomas Mulcair has spent the past week going around Southern Ontario to decry the losses in the manufacturing sector and the “unbalanced economy,” and refuses to back down on his “Dutch disease” comments despite the words of the Governor of the Bank of Canada that it’s not really a factor (or a bad thing). Mulcair, incidentally, was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council on Friday, as is the case with opposition leaders. Here’s a look at what this means.

There are concerns that KPMG will be auditing the fighter jet procurement process when they’re already representing one of the subcontractors on the F-35 process. Former Assistant Deputy Minister Alan Williams is more concerned, however, that they’d be auditing the wrong numbers.

Prison guards will be protesting outside of Stephen Harper’s riding office today draw attention to issues like overcrowding, which leads to increased violence, which makes their jobs more difficult. PostMedia, meanwhile, takes a look at the shopping habits of inmates in federal penitentiaries.

Colby Cosh at Maclean’s gives one of the best retrospectives on the career of Peter Lougheed, and how he helped to shape the Canada we know today.

Aaron Wherry offers his preview of the fall sitting of Parliament. The entire Macleans.ca political bureau gives their assessment of the landscape here.

And Stephen Harper and his ministers fanned out across, well, the Eastern half of the country to announce new honours for regiments who have ties to the War of 1812. Just to keep the commemoration going.