"I'm not vain enough to believe I alone can provide the leadership our great country needs this time."
Ex-Premier of New Brunswick and resigning Ambassador to the United States Frank McKenna announces he will not seek the Liberal Party leadership.

"Well, I think the word of the United States has been as good as gold in its international dealings and in its agreements."
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice delivers an unconvincing line during her visit to Canada.

"Peter Newman: go fuck yourself."
Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney delivers an extremely short barb during a taped appearance at the annual Parliamentary Press Gallery Dinner last Saturday.

"We are moving to close the coal plants, period, full stop. [...] I say to the Neanderthals ... we're moving forward responsibly to ensure that we clean up our air. We're in the 21st century. They're in the 19th century. [...] I am sick and tired of having smog days in October. We had a smog day in February. We've had smog days in Algonquin Park."
Ontario Energy Minister Dwight Duncan holds nothing back on the province's designs on a coal-free future.

"Indeed, the Internet has bred the most bizarre culture of entitlement amongst its users, who still rally behind the idea that "information wants to be free." Well, yes. Doughnuts want to be free too. It's just a pity they cost money to make."
The Globe and Mail's Ivor Tossell writes about the New York Times' recent decision to charge for some of its online content.

"We've seen some aggressive opposition in the New York area. It's a sign that terrorism is alive and well in this country."
Minuteman Project co-counder Chris Simcox addresses protests against the project in the Northeast of the United States.

"There's never been a time when we've been asked ... to seek shelter in all the years we've been here. It was kind of exciting, I tell you, but I couldn't help but think of the irony of it. My God, if a tornado hit our office, the rest of Canada would laugh."
David Phillips, senior climatologist at Environment Canada, comments on Friday's Toronto weather and the Downsview headquarters of the Meterological Service of Canada.

"The right to life and to personal inviolability is therefore affected by the waiting times."
Part of the Supreme Court's ruling striking down Quebec's ban on private healthcare insurance.

"It's more fun to pose next to a model of a new stadium than a new water main. Announcing plans for the Olympics gets better coverage than announcing plans for bridge repairs. If you want immediate gratification, there is nothing like a circus, as a moralist named Salvian observed in the fifth century."
John Tierney writes about New York City's sagging Olympic hopes in the New York Times.

"Ultimately, he chooses the dark side because it has a better health care plan."
Madhava correctly points out that this Mr. Cranky "Sith" review quote is even funnier.

"To say that "Revenge of the Sith" is disappointing, given that some of us have invested almost 30 years of our lives in this franchise, is like saying that Catholics were a little sad when the Pope died."
Mr. Cranky concludes his movie review of the hotly-anticipated final installment in the Star Wars heptology.

"We both believe in centrist, balanced and moderate policies."
Prime Minister Paul Martin inspires with his statement announcing that Belinda Stronach has crossed the floor to join the governing Liberal party.

"Our dependence on foreign oil is like a foreign tax on the American dream, and that tax is growing every year."
U.S. President George W. Bush, advocating alternative fuels like biodiesel and ethanol.

"If everybody is unhappy, I am happy."
Industry Minister David Emerson goes off message (we hope) in describing the "delicate balance" struck by the Government's Kyoto plan.

"Paul Martin is the wire brush that will scrub clean this stain on Canadian politics."
Martin spokesperson Scott Reid (officially Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Principal Secretary, PMO)

"The caucus reached a decision that we wanted to react today in solidarity with total unity, to send a message not only to the Liberal government but to all Canadians that we did attend the vote today, and even though we will not be casting a vote, and we certainly have the power to defeat the government."
Conservative Party House Leader Jay Hill on the party's approach to the passage of Budget 2005. According to the Globe and Mail, the Conservative Party's mass-abstention was the largest in history.

"The problem with the French is that they don't have a word for entrepreneur."
Attributed to U.S. President George W. Bush (according to a second-hand story involving U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair as the listener), this false quote has been widely disseminated and is erroneously quoted as fact all over the web.

"The first twelve years are the hardest."
Franklin D. Roosevelt, on the presidency.

"Even if we were wildly profitable, we would be a footnote on a pimple on a rounding error at Microsoft."
-- Jacob Weisberg, editor of Slate since 2002, on the software giant's sale of the online magazine to the Washington Post.

"Only the people of any country -- and this includes Ukraine in the full sense -- can decide their fate. One can play the role of a mediator, but one must not meddle and apply pressure."
-- Russian President Vladimir Putin (allegedly said with a straight face)

"We sure liberated the hell out of this place."
-- Anonymous U.S. soldier surveying the ruins of a French city in 1944. This quote (and several variations) is being trotted out in commentary on Iraq.

"I, frankly, felt like the reception we received on the way in from the airport was very warm and hospitable, and I want to thank the Canadian people who came out to wave -- with all five fingers -- for the hospitality."
-- U.S. President George W. Bush, Nov. 30, 2004