Remember how Harper told that New York business office that the Americans had asked us to contribute more troops to the situation in Iraq? Well, US officials are saying that no, Canada offered by asking what more they could do to help combat the scourge of ISIS. It was bad enough that Harper let this particular announcement slip to a foreign audience away from the House of Commons, but for his characterisation to be different than our allies’ gives rise to his trustworthiness in saying such things – not something you really want when you’re trying to ensure that parliament is onside on these deployments. Harper’s people insist that there’s no real difference in the stories, but it’s fairly hard to swallow. Thomas Mulcair, meanwhile, continues to bang on about the need for a vote on any deployment – never mind that Paul Dewar went on TV to say that other deployments, like sending HMCS Toronto to the Black Sea, was totally different because it’s a NATO exercise. John Baird said that the government would likely put it to a vote if the mission expands into something like an air campaign where Canada sends CF-18s. The problem with Mulcair’s continually demanding a vote – and the government offering one – is that it allows the government to launder the Crown prerogative and use the out come of said vote as political cover, hindering the opposition from doing its job of holding the government to account. “Oh, the House decided on this. End of story.” It remains unclear why Mulcair can’t see that point.

Harper, meanwhile, had his address at the UN General Assembly – to a mostly empty room – where he spoke mostly about maternal and child health and how trade was great for ending poverty, but didn’t say anything about threats like ISIS. It does sound a lot like he’s trying to burnish his image as a statesman on the world stage, so that he can show clips during the election and say, “Can you see Justin Trudeau doing this? Didn’t think so.”

Jason Kenney and other Alberta Conservatives are getting earfuls about the changes to the Temporary Foreign Workers Programme, in part because there are real labour shortages in the province. Of course, TFWs are really a stopgap measure when what is likely needed is more immigration, and likely more provincial control over that immigration, such as Quebec has. In the meantime, though, Kenney is talking about tougher new enforcement measures for those who break the rules with TFWs, particularly when it comes to worker abuse.

It sounds like Germany may have some fresh objections to the Canada-EU Trade Agreement, possibly around the investor state dispute resolution system. Trade minister Ed Fast insists that there’s no problem, nothing to see here.

As it happens, the Duffy trial isn’t the only court case that Harper need be concerned about, but rather a lawsuit filed against him and his director of communications after said d-comm went on Sun News Network to accuse the National Council of Canadian Muslims of being supporters of Hamas. Harper’s lawyers are trying to get the suit dismissed, but it’s one more court case where he may be called to testify.

MPs are grumbling that all of the constant foreign visits are making it hard for them to get around, and this has led to a prima facie finding of privilege, which is being referred to committee. In particular, one incident where NDP MP Yvon Godin was riding a green bus up to Centre Block when the RCMP stopped it and told him to walk the rest of the way was the final straw. No doubt said Mountie is going to get an earful from his or her supervisors, and likely more attention will be paid to MPs’ access going forward.

Tony Clement says that the millions being spent on media monitoring and 3300 communications staff are necessary for the government to inform themselves as they make decisions. Um, okay.

Add another one to the list – Conservative MP Gary Shellenberger says he’s not going to run again in the next election.

The RCMP have confirmed that they have raided the office of NDP-turned-Independent MP Manon Perreault for expense issues, particularly around travel. Perreault was already suspended from caucus for a separate police matter around criminal mischief. Still, it doesn’t reflect well on the NDP, for whom this was one of their chosen candidates in the Orange Wave, and who didn’t catch onto this sooner, considering how closely they already monitor their MPs’ activities by means of their centralization.

While a few pundits are weighing in on the Mulcair/Speaker fight, some of the better musings come from Aaron Wherry and On Procedure and Politics. The most hysterical was probably Paul McLeod, who called on the Speaker to resign. I weigh in on the issue over here.

One last word on the Trudeau/Sun Media boycott story, from Jonathan Kay, who makes some very good points about branding and the indifference that the heads of the corporation play with their journalists and “entertainers.”

And Paul Dewar’s facepalm at Paul Calandra’s talking point nonsense is becoming an Internet sensation. And in case you missed it, Marc Garneau had an epic eyeroll in there at the same time.