CBC in PEI is reporting: [The government of Prince Edward Island] is defending its right to publish mortgage information online in the wake of a complaint filed with P.E.I.'s privacy commissioner alleging that posting such details on the internet is an invasion of privacy. The government is fighting a complaint objecting to the kind of information available on Geolinc, an online database run by the province's taxation department, although just last week it moved to restrict the way Islanders can search information on another of its sites, the online corporate registry.

OTTAWA - A young Stephen Harper was first swept into the House of Commons back in 1993 on a wave of often idealistic western populism that, among other things, demanded a Senate that was "equal, effective and elected."... In the economic and fiscal statement that prompted the current political crisis in Ottawa, the Conservatives proposed doing away with public subsidies of political parties because, as they said, politicians had to do their bit to cut costs in tough economic times.

... the big news, it seems to me, from the Bank of Canada today was its assessment that by-and-large Canadian households are holding up very nicely, thank you, in this economic storm. Now remember, this is an economic storm that our prime minister two weeks ago said was as dangerous as anything we've seen since 1929. And yet, the Bank says, right there in black-and-white, that, so far as the average Canadian household goes, "the overall situation remains relatively positive." Now that's news!

Hill and Knowlton, a fairly well-connected public relations and lobbying firm, announced two new hires today: Ian Brodie, whose last job was Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Harper, and David Collenette, the longtime Liberal cabinet minister. Brodie, the release from H&K points out, will not be doing any lobbying, as per the Federal Accountability Act. Collenette is free from any such lobbying restrictions . . .