Yes, you wouldn't think I was properly Canadian - not a word about the upcoming election Tuesday. One, I don't see changing my usual vote. Two, for about the tenth time, I'm deputy returns officer for the Port Clements poll. Being in on the nuts and bolts of how the vote is conducted seems to lessen my interest in all the scenery-chewing by candidates and media. Three, for half the election campaign I've been ill and had less than my usual low urge to listen to political spiels. I either agree with what's being said (in which case, it's redundant) or I disagree (in which case, I'm frothing at the mouth and wondering why I'm wasting time listening to knotheads). Or I don't care either way and hey, why not re-read Norton's "Android Double" for the tenth time.

Thursday morning I was surprised by the CBC's early morning interview with Stefan Dion. Dutifully watched it, and the preceding day's CTV interview blooper. Then saw a clip of Steven Harper's comment on it. Ugh. What a nasty shot. Whether you agree with his politics or not, and I don't, Harper really has a knack for saying the wrong thing.

English is my first language, and while I could make a reasonable guess what the reporter was getting at with a hypothetical question - it seemed to me to be 'if you were the PM, how differently would you have handled this week's financial crisis?' I felt it was clumsily phrased, and the attempted clarifications muddied the waters completely. So Dion realized he was confused and had got off on the wrong foot and asked to begin again. It really didn't say anything to me about Dion, I know English is a second language for him and one he at times finds tricky. For all the years I spent studying French at school - and getting good marks - my French is rudimentary. I can read it a little, spit out a phrase or two, but I can't follow conversation at all. Stefan Dion's English is about 1,000 times better than my French.

I think CTV shouldn't have broadcast the bungled interview beginning, and Steven Harper should have kept his mean opinions to himself. I'm sure his mom told him if he didn't have anything nice to say, better to say nothing at all? If not, past time she did.