Job numbers float Tory boat; Dion runs aground

By: James Mccarten, THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA - Against a backdrop of blackening economic skies, some strong job numbers and signs of life in the polls filled Stephen Harper's sails Friday as the Liberal campaign boat ran briefly aground on a rocky TV interview with Stephane Dion. The government moved to lubricate a rapidly congealing credit market with a $25-billion asset swap with Canada's big banks - a move the prime minister billed as necessary, sensible and risk-free. "This is not a bailout of banks; this is a market transaction that will cost the government nothing," Harper said at a campaign rally. "It's a good market transaction, it's good for the economy, good value for the government of Canada." A Statistics Canada report that said the Canadian economy produced a record 107,000 new jobs in September dovetailed... [read full story]