In a move that surprises pretty much no one, the government has extended the deadline on the Nexen deal by another month, giving themselves until December 10 to make up their minds. This is no doubt in large part because Haprer is off to India next week and wouldn’t be around to deal with this outcome, no matte what it will be, and considering how they worked until the last minute on the Petronas deal, they may still be hard at work on this file and need more time.

It looks like the skilled worker immigration backlog could be eliminated by the end of 2014 – three years ahead of schedule – because of plans to create a pool system where provinces and employers can cherry-pick the workers that best suit their needs. The whole thing could be scuttled, however, by an upcoming court case that deals with the plans to legislate away the pre-2008 backlog, because those would-be immigrants would have been denied due process.

Corrections Canada has been instructed to cooperate fully with the Ashley Smith inquiry after they had previously been attempting to put up jurisdictional fences around their participation, as the coroner’s inquiry is a provincial process.

As part of its new cyber-security initiatives, the government will be ensuring that only Canadian companies will be building its new email system.

Bob Rae believes that Maurice Vellacott is inciting anti-abortion activists to break the law by awarding the Diamond Jubilee medal to one who is in jail for harassing women in abortion clinics. Nobody else seems to want to stand behind Rae’s assertion, however.

The Supreme Court has struck down parts of new drunk driving laws because they place a reverse onus that removes the presumption of innocence – a pretty fundamental Charter right. Rob Nicholson says the government is “reviewing” the decision.

Andrew Coyne debunks some of the myths around the Canada-China FIPA.

Based on the filed reports, it looks like Nathan Cullen came out of the NDP leadership race with a $782 surplus. Paul Dewar looked like he had a surplus – except that he hasn’t paid off his loans yet.

Belinda Stronach opens up about her breast cancer and reconstruction surgery, and the problem of availability of options in Canada.

Here is your recap of last night’s political shows.

And Susan Delacourt wonders if political journalism kills the instinct for writing fiction amongst those who practice the craft. But speaking from personal experience, I’m not entirely sure that she’s right.