Given that yesterday was Victoria Day, here is a look at how it’s a particularly idiosyncratic Canadian holiday, which combines the celebration of the monarch who founded our country along with the official birthday of the reigning monarch, and has a history wrapped up in things like Empire Day, but remains uniquely Canadian all the same.

On the second day of the Royal Tour, Charles and Camilla laid a wreath at the Halifax cenotaph to mark Canada’s contributions to the two World Wars, and attended an event for military families before heading to PEI. Some of the photos, like the people in vegetable costumes, are quite priceless. Here is Charles’ speech in Halifax. Also, it’s disappointing that a member of Her Majesty’s government would fly the Union Jack when the Canadian monarchy is visiting *coughs*Peter MacKay*coughs* One would think that a cabinet minister would know the difference between the Canadian monarchy and a foreign curiosity.

NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair made the pledge that an NDP government won’t raise personal taxes – because people don’t pay corporate taxes, right? Economist Stephen Gordon tweeted why this is a wrong-headed approach – corporate taxes don’t raise much revenue, small businesses are less innovative, and the real problem was the cut in the GST. It’s too bad that advice won’t be taken on because it’s too easy to make it look like someone else – ie the wealthy or corporations – will be paying more when it doesn’t really work that way.

Resource companies in Canada are looking at banding together to create their own ad campaign around the Keystone XL pipeline, since the government has clearly failed to do so. Note, the government also failed to heed President Obama’s advice around this as well and exacerbated the situation as well, so we’ll see if these companies will be doing themselves any favours with these ads…

To hell with OxyContin addictions, we need the generic version of the drug to be more available, say chronic pain sufferers who rely on oxycodone.

Justin Trudeau talked about the influence of his father on his stance on abortion and…zzzzzz… Oh, what? We’re still talking about this? Really?

Conservative MP and former minister Gordon O’Connor is finally going to throw in the towel and not run again in the next election. Senator Vern White is apparently mulling a run, but one wonders why he’d give up a place where he can make an actual contribution to policy matters on a substantive basis rather than run to be given a set of talking points that he would have to recite and to play childish partisan games. (Or maybe I’m feeling particularly jaded right now).

Martin Patriquin looks at the issue of whether doctors would actually perform assisted suicide or euthanasia if it were legalised in one form or another – some surveys say that a mere 20 percent of doctors actually would.

It is hoped that the RCMP report on missing and murdered Aboriginal women may finally prompt action on the Highway of Tears in BC, where official calls for action remain unanswered years later.

Journalist and educator Wab Kinew is apparently contemplating a run for AFN National Chief.

Here’s a look at how “right to be forgotten” cases may soon hit Canadian courts, where people want Google to scrub the digital skeletons in their closet from searches.

NATO may be looking to beef up their presence in Eastern Europe on a more permanent basis, which could include a greater contribution from Canada.

Apparently we’re looking to open four new trade offices in China, bringing the grand total to 15. Which is all well and good, but we still haven’t ratified the FIPA, which would protect Canadian investments from expropriation in that country.

And Susan Delacourt brings us tales from the campaign trail, with people opening the door naked, to crazy pets and a few other crazy encounters.