It’s a very curious tale that didn’t seem to get much attention yesterday, but the Globe and Mail had a very interesting and lengthy dissection of the relationship between the Canadian government and the US ambassador to Canada, and it’s not good. It’s also one of those cases where it’s hard to assign blame, because so much of what’s terrible seems to be coming from both sides. First Obama took nine months to announce a replacement, which was seen as a snub, and then when Bruce Heyman was appointed and arrived in Canada, he basically said he couldn’t help with any of the big files – Keystone XL and the new Detroit-Windsor bridge – and wanted us to bend on other files like intellectual property. Oh, and he told a crowd at his first big outing that we need to pretty much get over Keystone XL. So the Canadian government froze him out – Harper won’t meet with him, nor will the cabinet, and since Harper still meets with Obama at international summits, and John Baird had a good relationship with John Kerry, it was all well and good to go around Heyman, who in turn started going around the federal government and has been focusing on premiers instead. It’s all perfectly dysfunctional, and perhaps a sign of the dysfunction at the top, and problems in the world’s biggest trading relationship.

Good reads:

• The Prime Minister confirmed that a motion about an expansion of the mission against ISIS will be tabled and debated next week. This may include going into Syria.
• The cheap outrage mongers at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation are calling out the government over their huge ad spending.
• Here’s a look at Australia’s experience when it comes to more powers for intelligence, and more oversight for those powers.
• A damaged civil servant’s shirt resulted in an investigation and a $70 payment that absolves the Queen of responsibility. No, really.
• Jennifer Ditchburn looks at all of the Sun News Network personalities who have joined – or re-joined – the Conservative ranks.
• Laura Stone has lunch with former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.

Odds and ends:

The cost of the federal election will soar! Err, why are we complaining about the cost of democracy, unless we’re seriously contemplating an alternative?

Conservative MP and Ontario PC leadership hopeful Patrick Brown may have breached Hill rules organising a religious freedom conference there.

Peter Goldring demonstrates the spy pen he wears to “prevent besmirchment.”

Mike Duffy’s lawyer has subpoenaed reporters Stephen Maher and Glen McGregor to testify at the trial, though we’re not sure why.

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