Well the Government has announced plans to possibly purchase 65 brand new F-35 Jet Fighters when they come out in 2016.  This would put them just in the range of our old C-18s which were just recently retrofitted to last until 2017, which would give a good year of cross-fighter training.

Besides the 9 Billion up front there are other costs which could potentially bring up the total cost to about 16 billion to include maintanance and upgrades for 20 years from the date of purchase.

Here is an almost comical article about Stephen Harper.    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/video/harpers-communion-controversy/article1211277/

The article is talking about the controversy over whether he  consumed a communion wafer or not during a funeral service for Romeo Leblanc. 

The holiest time of year for Christians is imminent.  In Canada, self-avowed "Evangelical Christian" Stephen Harper is taking steps to load the Senate he had previously claimed to despise with Harper supporters: network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/12/12/national-post-editorial-board-packed-senate-is-an-opportun-ity-missed.aspx

From the CBC News, December 11th, full article found at:

www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/11/harper-senate.html

Prime Minister Stephen Harper plans to fill all 18 vacancies in the Liberal-dominated Senate before Christmas, a spokesman for his office told CBC News.

The move came under quick attack from opposition parties, who questioned whether Harper has the right to make patronage appointments while Parliament is suspended.

If there is one person I feel bad for in the midst of this federal government showdown, aside from Canada as a whole, it's Governor General Michaelle Jean, who now has an extremely difficult decision to make. Harper's going to ask her to prorouge Parliament or call an election, while Dion and Layton will ask her to let them form the government. The Tories are launching e-mail and phone blitzes on her office, and the country is divided on what should happen to Parliament. Her supposedly-ceremonial role is about to take on the biggest decision in the country.