Under the cover of COVID, Christmas came early this year for the friends of Doug Ford. And what did Santa Doug do to make all this happen? He stuffed the stockings hung by the chimney with care. Every one of these treats was snuck into omnibus bills designed to deal with the pandemic. Mr. Grinch didn’t steal Christmas. He gave it to his friends.

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The number of Canadians that "owe their soul to the company store" is deliberately rising, as people are stuck having to chose between working with a serious illness or risk losing their job. For many in Canada, joining the picket line today means not being able to put food on the table.

I come to bury Chávez, not to praise him. Barak Obama says he was authoritarian. And the President is an honourable man. John Graham, former ambassador to Venezuela says he couldn’t manage his own economy. And he is an honourable man. Stephen Harper says he was undemocratic. And he is a Right Honourable man. So are they all, all honourable men.

The last line of common sense seems to be some 20 First Nations whose territories will be impacted one way or another.

It seems Americans are in for more of the same legislative gridlock as before the election. How Congress deals with the looming fiscal cliff will be telling.

Beware the government whose only bottom line is the bottom line. And don’t be conned. This foreign policy is bad for Canada and bad for the world.

When I look at the deal our PM signed with China in September, I worry. And you should too.