UPDATED with link to written transcript! Harper had lots to say about conservatism in an era of big government, about Liberals, about Barack Obama, and about the cause of the recession.

You can read a summary here and, as I have time, I'll put up some transcripts.

In the meantime, for those Harper-o-philes among you, grab a coffee and sit down for 17 minutes   more »

It was remarkable, in my eyes, for its candour -- we rarely get to hear him talk politics in this way nowadays -- and its frank assessment of the mistakes that got us to where we are: Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the global recession was caused by American consumers and investors who believed in the "unconservative" idea that they could borrow without consequences. In a speech Thursday night to a group of supporters attending a fundraising dinner for a conservative think-tank, Mr. Harper delivered a frank diagnosis of the world's economic problems, took a swipe at U.S. President Barack Obama's stimulus plan, and suggested the federal courts and bureaucracy was filled with Liberals who did not share his Conservative government's agenda.

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The former chief of defence staff and Canada's Most Popular General (TM) gives a speech tonight at a fundraising dinner for the Manning Centre for Democracy. The speech kicks off a three-day conference the Manning Centre is organizing with an A-list crowd of Canadian conservatives in attendance. So, is Hillier's speech his first-ever declaration he's rooting for the blue team (actually, he does root for a blue team -- The Toronto Maple Leafs)?

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You may have heard that Warren Kinsella, Michael Ignatieff's election war room general, is suing Public Works Minister Christian Paradis and the Conservative Party of Canada. He says they've defamed him. Today, as on several other occasions, a Conservative MP used his time in Members Statements -- the 15 minutes just prior to Question Period where MPs can stand up and make a one-minute long statement on anything they want -- to press Ignatieff to fire Kinsella. In the House of Commons, MPs have "privilege" which means that, though they must use Parliamentary langauge, i.e. no calling someone a liar, they cannot be sued for libel or slander so long as they say what they say in the House of Commons. Today it was Ontario Conservative MP Darryl Kramp's turn...

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Harper: We all need to keep the pressure on the opposition to act. Me: Let's say it one more time: The legislation has not yet been tabled nor will it be until March 26. Even if the entire opposition crossed the floor today and the House of Commons consisted of 308 Conservative MPs, there would be nothing for them to "act" on because, and I hate to belabour this point, the legislation will not be tabled until March 26.

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Cuts the Conservative government made to programs that helped Canadian artists export their work now threatens Canadian jobs and puts the nation's international cultural influence in peril, several artists told MPs Monday. ... At the time the cuts were made, a senior government official told Canwest News Service the programs were being axed because some grant recipients included "a general radical," "a left-wing and anti-globalization think-tank" and a rock band that uses an expletive as part of its name ...

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Reporter: Has anyone approached you to ask you whether you are interested in the job from the party.

Baird:  David Akin did earlier.

Reporter:   From the party? He's from the party?

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It's just been called.

He cannot possibly continue as leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, wouldn't you think?

Federal Conservatives say they made a mistake when they allowed press releases attacking the Liberals to be written and distributed using taxpayer dollars, a contravention of federal government communication guidelines. Officials in Shea's office say such partisan attacks should not have come from the department and the Conservative party will be reimbursing the department for the ads.

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"While Liberals try and please special interest groups our Conservative government will seriously defend our sealers and we will continue to fight for the rights of hard-working Canadian sealers, on the international stage and here in Canada, so they may provide a livelihood for their families through our lawful, sustainable and humane hunt." That's unusually partisan language for official departmental press releases paid for by all taxpayers.

Now with UPDATE   more »