That line between political and public service got blurred again for a short while on the CIDA website, as op-ed responses from the M-4 Unit – err, Julian Fantino – were posted on the department site. And these were very partisan posts. Within a couple of hours of the cry of alarm being raised, they were taken down, and Fantino’s office blamed the department for putting up the wrong information after they had been told to populate the site. Um, okay. Sure. We’ll totally buy that, even though the government has steadily been trying to politicise the civil service. Thomas Mulcair blasted the incident as breaking all of the guidelines set out by Treasury Board. Kady O’Malley Storify’d the whole afternoon’s craziness here. Meanwhile, National Post columnist Michael Den Tandt doesn’t think Fantino is capable of any cabinet position. Poor M-4 Unit! *sad trombone*

Former Governor General Michaëlle Jean added her name (more or less) to the list of people calling for Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence to end her hunger strike. (It would have been even better if Jean had added in there a lesson in why the GG can’t sit at the table with the PM when it comes to treaty discussions, but what can you do?) The Ontario Provincial Police have taken to YouTube to explain their handling of First Nations blockades. Here is a look at the potential electoral impacts of #IdleNoMore if more Aboriginals went out to vote. One of the founders of the movement is distancing herself from Spence and the blockades, while the Canadian Taxpayer’s Federation gives some totally helpful ideas about scrapping the Indian Act and going around established First Nations governance.

Vic Toews says he’s satisfied with the plan the RCMP put forward to address its gender issues – but won’t say what those plans are.

The process to procure new trucks for the Canadian Army is being rebooted – again. Said trucks were supposed to have been delivered in 2008.

The NDP provincial leaders from around the country met with Thomas Mulcair yesterday, and Mulcair made a very big effort to look the serious part. He also said that he’s not going to comment about the Liberal leadership race, but said he was prepared to deal with whoever wins on a “substantive level.” Jokes were also made about nine rings of power and One Ring to rule them all. Meanwhile, the federal party is may once again debate – or attempt to – the merits of taking the word “socialism” out of their party constitution and replacing it with “social democratic principles.”

Maclean’s Michael Petrou writes about the situation with France intervening in Mali militarily.

And former astronaut Steve MacLean is stepping down from the Canadian Space Agency to head a new initiative at the Perimeter Institute.