I was a little startled this morning to get a big mail-out pamphlet from Maurizio Bevilacqua, a former future Martin Cabinet star.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m as interested in the goings-on in Vaughan, Ontario as the next Calgarian. And it is very reassuring to find out that Maurizio is “taking my message to Ottawa” and that “my priorities are his priorities”. I must admit that the thought briefly crossed my mind that just maybe everybody’s favourite dark horse in the unofficial Liberal leadership campaign is laying the groundwork for a future push. But after the good treatment Maurizio has received from the PM in the past, I’d be shocked if this were the case.

And for what it’s worth, while he lacks name recognition, Maurizio is likely a more serious candidate than certain other Italian Liberal MPs who will go unnamed here.