A Typical End of Summer Friday Slow News Day

Not!

We've got a new Supreme Court Justice.

We've got a spousal candidate swap in Trinity Spadina (and no, it won't be Jack running instead of Olivia there).

We've got David Emerson and Bernard Lord being named Tory campaign co chairs which is...I dunno if "weird" is the right word but it might be.

Oh, and Joe Comuzzi isn't running again, which really doesn't seem like I big deal, but would have been worth a post of it's own a month ago.

And the NDP have a Newfoundland separatist running for Loyola Hearn's old seat! No, not Jerry Boyle - a real one!

There's also this bit of news that makes me think Paul Hellyer will be announced as a Tory candidate in the coming days.

Nomination Watch

-Jets star Thomas Steen is going for the Tory nomination in Bill Blaikie's old riding. The NDP nomination meeting is set for this Sunday, with MLA Jim Maloway among the three candidates vying for the nod. I know some people are going to disagree with me, but I'd be willing to put money on Steen netting this one...that seat is ripe for the picking with Blaikie gone.

-It sounds like David Emerson will not be running again.

-Palliser MP Dave Batters will not be running again, due to medical reasons. Batters knocked of Dick Proctor to win this seat in 2004 and won by 10% over his NDP opponent last time. This Liberals will be running a former Regina police chief in the riding.

-The Liberals anounced a star candidate in Manitoba today, convincing Bob Friesen, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, to run against Steven Fletcher in Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia. Hopefully this will help the party's credibility with the farming community.

-Former PC MP Andre Bachand, who called said the idea of a merger between the PCs and Alliance "gives me a rash and no dermatologist can fix this problem" must have found a good dermatologist, because he'll be the Conservative candidate in Sherbrooke. It's definitely a long shot riding for Bachand, but he's pretty much guaranteed a cabinet position if he wins, so it may not be a bad gamble on his part.

Paradis Found

'Tis the season to shuffle, and Harper is set to do the dance tomorrow. According to the Globe, Emerson will stay in Foreign Affairs (take a bow, the 29% of you who called it) - if you can't find a competent Conservative, might as well turn to a Liberal.

It sounds like Christian Paradis, who I would have a hard time picking out of a lineup, gets promoted to public works, proving the age-old adage "good things come to those who do not date Julie Couillard". That means Senator Fortier replaces Emerson in international trade.

Should there be any surprises tomorrow (Anders to Foreign Affairs pleeeeeeease!), I'll be sure to post them, but after a glitzy scandal, I think a low key shuffle like this is probably what Harper is looking for.


UPDATE: High of 28 in Ottawa today, but I'm expecting we won't be seeing much skin at this swearing in. If we do, you can bet Kady will have the full details in her live blog of the events.

And it appears James Moore is finally getting into Cabinet as a Secretary of State, after being forced to grin and bear it on the Cadman file for months. Certainly a well deserved, and somewhat belated, appointment.