I'm cooling my heels in the Edmonton airport, just arrived from Calgary and soon to be departing for Toronto. Yes, it is an odd way to fly to Toronto but if I explained the back story I'd weep bitterly, so I won't.

Anyway, this is the week when conservatives and libertarian types gather for the Institute for Marriage and the Family Canada and Manning Centre conferences. They are preceded by the annual PDAC mining conference in Toronto. The biggest annual conference, I believe, in Canada.

I'll be at both but especially look forward to drinking deeply from the well of freedom and limited government in, ironically, Ottawa.

Speaking of which I saw Sarah Pailin speak last night in Calgary. She is a conservative, with a sense of humour, zero pretence, and she can connect with people. I'll write about her in an upcoming Sun column.

We'll soon board. Please God, I hope Air Canada has changed the TV programming. Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry