While making a speech at the Canada 2020 conference about how Stephen Harper hasn’t yet made a case for a combat mission in Iraq, and about the various other options that Canada has at its disposal to aid in the conflict, Justin Trudeau made a dick joke about “trying to whip out our CF-18s to show them how big they are.” And suddenly the scolds were out in full force, going on about it being juvenile and an insult to the troops, and how dare he not be a statesman on this eve of war (as though 26 Special Forces personnel and the likely deployment of a six-pack of fighters were a thousand ships sailing for Troy). Apparently everybody needs to talk in platitudes that have the consistency of pabulum, and he can’t make a point about being quick to take some options at the potential cost of others (though I will add that Canada is part of military alliances, we have the capability to deploy forces and the fiscal means to do so, artificial budget austerity aside, so not doing some heavy lifting would make us look like shirkers in the eyes of said allies). And hey, the fact that he says his mind isn’t made up and that he’s looking to be convinced is probably a good thing because he’s not briefed on the matter, he’s not a member of the Privy Council, and is in no position to come up with a war plan based on no information. Even one former Canadian Forces general says that we shouldn’t be giving out all of this information in public, and he might even have a point there too. But oh, dick joke. Scold, scold. Or maybe we can all grow up and stop getting apoplectic the moment somebody says something slightly off-colour. Maybe?

Stephen Harper announced that the numbers have been crunched, and in the 2013-14 deficit has come in at a mere $5.2 billion, and not the projected $16.6 billion. Of course, they won’t say how or where the money came from, so we can’t see why the deficit is smaller.

Add BC to the list of provinces that has a problem with the way Jason Kenney has handled the temporary foreign workers file. Kenney, however, plans to stand firm and not make any more changes.

A Canadian satellite was supposed to launch into orbit on a Russian rocket in July, but given our tensions with that country over the situation in Ukraine, it hasn’t happened. Fortunately, India is stepping up and will launch it for us instead.

Maclean’s recaps some of the speakers at the Canada 2020 conference. They also get “escalator pitches” from the likes of Edmonton mayor Don Iveson and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne (but I fear that this gimmick may mean that they weren’t properly conditioned to fear and respect the escalator). One of those speakers, Quebec’s intergovernmental affairs minister, raised the subject of reopening the constitution.

Some political scientists and neuroscientists are trying to put forward a theory about democracy not necessarily engaging our higher reasoning but appeals to our lizard brains instead. For the record, I’m not convinced.

Dean Del Mastro’s cousin and one of his employees were charged with violating the Elections Act for funnelling money to Dean’s campaign in 2008 through the cousin’s electrical company.

Here are some photos of the divers exploring the wreckage of HMS Erebus.

And Scott Feschuk imagines Thanksgiving dinner at 24 Sussex, featuring special guest Paul Calandra. It’s a wonder to behold.

Up today: Harper will lay out his case for a combat mission at some point in the Commons tomorrow, likely after QP, so probably around noon.