by Sean Orr | Harper calls election on long weekend, making it the longest campaign in Canadian history. This is not only costing Canadians money and draining opposition party coffers (for this election and the next if a minority government is elected), but it’s also unethical. Surprise, surprise. Let’s hope it backfires.

So with the NDP surging in the polls, Harper doles out a ton of money in conservative ridings, appoints his friend to the NEB, and denies millions the right to vote.

Perhaps he saw Duffy’s shadow. “The only real difference between the two events is the star. At one event, we wait for a pudgy, grey rodent. Whereas at the other, we wait for a groundhog…”

Writ large: NDP Leader Tom Mulcair target of new Conservative attack ads. “The ads portray the NDP leader as an unethical opportunist who looks out for himself at taxpayers’ expense, a ‘career politician’ the country can’t afford”. So Trudeau’s not ready but Mulcair has been at it for too long? Besides, who’s the real career politician?

But you can’t deny a panel of ordinary Canadians, right? Because Harper just loves ordinary Canadians: Conservative Staffers Will Vet Every Single Canadian That Stephen Harper Meets During The Election. Makes sense, though. If I was him I wouldn’t want to meet me either.

To be fair, he probably lasted longer in Philly than most Canadians would have: Hitchhiking Robot Lasts Just Two Weeks in US Because Humans Are Terrible. It was later revealed that the robot was known to police and had a troubled past.

Cute local animal of the day:

Raccoons trying to board a bus in Stanley Park pic.twitter.com/pH7eqTC4pL

— Panic Dots (@PanicDots) August 2, 2015

Another day another “I’m leaving Vancouver and here’s why” article: I’m Living The Vancouver Dream By Moving Away. Classic Lotusland.

What? You can’t raise your family in a tent in someone’s backyard? $600 Camping avail in our lovely back yard with use of washroom and kitchen.

Commercial Drive street fest will defy Vancouver police threat to impose fees for unlawful events. Under the Drive, the beach!

Graffiti of the day: You’re not on the list.

Inexplicably popular news item of the day: Sgt. Tatyana Danylyshyn, Canadian Reservist, Places 1st At International Shooting Competition. Wait, is this an ad for Harper?

PSA of the day: Harrison Lake.