1. Ed Stelmach is going to skip out on the climate change talks tomorrow at the first Minister’s meeting. This follows in the grand tradition of Ralph Klein playing hooky from first Minister’s health care talks to go to a casino in Hull. And this guy is trying to run on change?

2. Macleans profiles the twelve biggest power players in Stephen Harper’s inner circle. And, no, his stylist did not make the cut.

3. No surprise here. Harper backs Manley’s recommendations and implies he might get the extra 1,000 troops lined up sooner, rather than later. If he does, it will be interesting to see if he schedules the Afghanistan vote before or after the budget vote.

4. For those who haven’t caught in, here are the top ten Barack Obama campaign promises, as presented on Letterman last week. Speaking of which, Obama adds another Kennedy to his endorsement list.

5. The Rhinos are back in Alberta. Among their promises: “Annex Saskatchewan to create more room for affordable housing” and “Merge with the Tories to stop splitting the ‘silly vote’“.