The state of Canuckistan

1. Bunny glut poses puzzle in Alberta town: Municipal and provincial governments haggle over jurisdiction while citizens languish under oppressive lagocracy.

Alberta is like the nonwimpiest part of Canada, and you know that Canmore must be pretty hardcore because it's the home of Mike (from Canmore). And yet it has fallen to these tiny yet ruthless bunny overlords.

In the absence of any government action, some Canmore residents have begun to trap the rabbits and release them out of town.

Trap and release? In Canmore? What, Canucks can drive picks through the skulls of adorable harp seals, but we can't shoot up some rabbits? Come on, people, break out the shotguns and make yourselves some stew.

2. My dad called my attention to this CBC story about our Foreign Affairs Minister cozying up to Condi Rice:

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay was so appreciative after his first visit Thursday with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that he nearly ran out of superlatives.

"Like, oh my God, I can't believe I'm finally meeting you, I'm like your number one fan, will you autograph my butt?"

OK, I made up that second sentence, but the first one is pure CBC.

I'm curious how this story played out back home (or if it was much noticed at all). I'm hoping that Canucks generally still find the Bush Admin distasteful, but I suppose Rice's image is less polluted than the rest of the gang.

Leaving that aside, one wonders how Rice reacted to this outpouring of fanboyishness. The answer is subtly suggested by the story's choice of adverbs:

"We're very grateful and I personally extend my thanks to you for your generous and very kind invitation to be with you," he said as Rice smiled politely.

Ooh, "politely"? Couldn't have at least gone for, say, "warmly" instead? Just a hint of snarkiness there. Snark away, CBC News, snark away. You so snarky.

One last thing:

"Without sounding partisan, the previous government, perhaps, could have done more to engage at an earlier stage."

Simply declaring that you're not sounding partisan does nothing to stop you from sounding partisan. One would rather assume that you're declaring that you're not sounding partisan only because you clearly are sounding partisan. Similarly for "I'm not racist, but...", and so on. Why do people ever utter such disclaimers? Is anyone ever convinced by them?