…as debunked by Norm Spector, here.

That’s not all: here’s the head of the CRTC – Konrad von Finckenstein, a man who was a plenty-powerful mandarin in the Chretien-Martin years, too – dispensing with the grassy knoll conspiracy theorists:

“I would like to categorically state that no one at any level of government has approached me about the Sun TV application, the appointment of the CRTC’s vice-chair of broadcasting, or my own mandate. Quebecor’s application is being treated according to the CRTC’s well-established processes.”

“Categorically.” When someone like von Finckenstein deploys language like that, it means something.

George Soros and Margaret Atwood, presumably, could not be reached for comment.

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Dear Mr. McGuinty:

My youngest son, who is eight, is profoundly displeased with the educational system as it relates to him. He has therefore petitioned me – perhaps 100 times, if not more – to ask you the following:

“Daddy, have you asked Premier McGuinty if I can be home-schooled, yet?”

I look forward to receiving the answer to this question at your earliest opportunity. In the meantime, please accept our best wishes.

Yours sincerely,

Etc.

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…and nor did he keep his brother, it seems.

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Received from a friend at CTV – and I am very sad to see my friend Tom go.  He will be missed:

Tom Clark and CTV to Part Ways

Toronto, ON (September 7, 2010) – Tom Clark, host of CTV News Channel’s POWER PLAY WITH TOM CLARK and former CTV News Washington Bureau Chief, has moved on to pursue other opportunities, it was announced today.

In his almost four decade long association with CTV, Tom Clark has become one of Canada’s most respected journalists. In that time, he served as CTV’s China Bureau Chief, CTV Washington Bureau Chief, host and senior correspondent of CTV’s W5, as well as reporting from seven war zones, natural disasters and political upheavals. Clark witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the student uprising in Tien An Men Square. He covered almost every federal election in Canada since 1974.

“CTV is extremely proud of its long association with Tom Clark, and wishes him well in his future endeavours,” said Robert Hurst, President CTV News.

CTV, Canada’s Olympic Network, is also Canada’s largest private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV is Canada’s most-watched television network. CTV Inc. also owns radio stations across the country and owns or has interests in leading national specialty channels, featuring news, sports, factual, arts, entertainment, music, youth and fashion programming. Official broadcaster of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and London 2012 Games of the Olympiad, CTV Inc. is owned by CTVglobemedia Inc., Canada’s premier multi-media company, which also owns Canada’s national newspaper, The Globe and Mail. More information about CTV may be found on the network’s website at www.ctv.ca.

– END –

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After a marathon journey from Maine (note to file: Border Services regard “puppies” as “goods”), I was able to get oldest child to her first day of Grade Ten. She was disinterested in my many stories about my first day of Grade Ten, back at Bishop Carroll High in Calgary.

Sigh.

Some bits and pieces for back-to-school Tuesday!

• Justin Trudeau packing it in? I certainly hope not.  I haven’t heard from my old friend in a while, but I think he’s one of the brightest of the bright lights in the federal Liberal caucus.  And on mornings when no less than the Montreal Gazette is urging people to vote ADQ in St. Laurent, we Grits need the likes of Justin carrying the torch in Quebec.
• Sun TV hysteria, redux: Margaret Atwood, former author/free speech advocate, did herself no favours last week when she seemed to call for the censorship of a TV network that doesn’t even exist yet. Ditto that obtuse Soros online petition, that was so totally stupid it became (for a variety of reasons) the object of nation-wide ridicule.  This week, I expect more of the same, because stupidity is self-replicating.  Here’s a tip, folks: Kory – now on vacation in Florida with his family – couldn’t buy this kind of publicity for a kabillion dollars.  Sheesh.
• Bruce Carson, new COS: Well, not so fast.  Some say he ain’t gonna be the top PMO aide.  But if he is, then he’d be a good pick.  He’s widely respected by the Cons I know, and I’ve found him to be pretty easy-going fella, too.  However, my fave pick – from last week’s comments – is found here.
• Rocco and Rush: Rocco, still basking in the tripling of his support from last week’s poll, does well at the Labour Day parade; Rush Ford, in this Marcus Gee column, not so much. Fun quote: “people will sour on Rob when they figure out that half of the stuff he says is wrong, that his figures don’t add up and that you can’t fix what ails the city just by cutting city council in half and slashing what councillors spend on photocopying toner.”
• Morissey is the “sub-species,” actually: As one of the many with a lingering fondness for the Smiths – and an enthusiasm for animal rights work – I was disappointed, to the least, to see Morissey refer to the Chinese people as “a sub-species.”  It made me feel like I did when Woody Allen married his daughter: at a certain point, an artist shouldn’t expect that what he or she does in his or her personal life won’t end up negating all the greatness of his or her art.  At a certain point, you just stop paying attention to them, artistically and otherwise.

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You know, reading Linda’s piece, I don’t recall Doug Ford being so critical when he was calling me and asking me to join their campaign. Funny, that.

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I’m at our place by the beach in Maine as I write this.

If Hurricane Earl has devastated the coast, as the media said Earl would, someone should tell this guy who is swimming in the tsunami-sized waves.

Also, the family who brought their kids down in that wagon. They look terrified, too.

The horror, the horror.

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While the Parliamentary Press Gallery furiously debate who,exactly, first broke the news about Guy Giorno’s departure, I think the rest of us should wildly speculate about who will be his successor.

We’ll have zero impact on the decision, naturally, but it’ll be fun. And – who knows – someone may actually get it right. Nominate your pick(s) in comments.

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Mayoralty candidate Smitherman admits to staffer Erika Mozes he cursed at a young female volunteer.

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