The RCMP report on the long-gun registry has surfaced and it is described as an important tool for law enforcement. Will the tough on crime Tories notice anything that disagrees with the narrative they've been trying to manufacture? It costs less to run than building a fake lake and is described as being cost efficient in reducing firearms related crime. It is also said to promote the public safety. This should be a no-brainer then, right?

The story about two Russian military TU-95 Bear bombers flying within 56 kilometres of Canadian soil, just when the House of Commons defence committee is getting ready to examine the government's single-bid purchase of the new generation of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, makes it look like the Tories are trying to manufacture an excuse for $16 billion dollars worth of spending. Aiming your jets at someone else's airspace and veering off before you cross it is an old Cold War style game. A way of testing response time and seeing if the other side is awake. This is the second time in the last few weeks that this has taken place and both times the news organizations took the time to note that this is not an uncommon occurrence -- four bombers have been intercepted this year, and it happened sixteen times last year.

That it happens while the three countries that are competing for Arctic riches with the Russians are engaging in military exercises -- Canadian, American and Danish warships are in the final week of a joint exercise in the Canadian Arctic, part of an annual event known as Operation Nanook -- makes the affair even less surprising. Canada's Tories argue this is proof that they needed to buy sole-sourced jets at a cost of $16 billion instead of just a routine "buzzing" by the Russina. Canada no doubt needs an upgrade in its defense forces, but the question reamins, why were there no competing bids?

Stephen Harper paid his annual visit to Canada's North and announced that a new Arctic Research Center would be built in Cambridge Bay by 2015.

The biggest salmon run in nearly a century in the Fraser River has the locals hopeful that the salmon crisis is over. Government officials are taking a more cautious line.