While Alison Redford succeeded in her stunning bid to become Alberta's first female premier, Ontarians still don't know which chocolate they'll be picking out of the box. This past week's leadership debate produced no new clear front-runner. Meanwhile, protestors against the Keystone Pipeline busily had themselves arrested at demonstrations on Parliament Hill -- with our own Maude Barlow reporting from the paddywagon about her handcuffing experience. Our intrepid HuffPost contributors are no strangers, however, to incarceration: We were thrilled to welcome Baron Black of Crossharbour -- Conrad Black -- aboard as a new blogger.

We Canadians have much to be thankful for today --not least for the relative stability of our economy has so far maintained amidst the steadily worsening global storm. It's no wonder, then, that Forbes magazine declared Canada the number one country in the world with which to do business, a fact celebrated by our blogger, David Gratzer. I will be celebrating the holiday with my family out in our little cottage in Prince Edward County, Ontario. Out in the county, pretty much everything we eat is grown within a 20-mile radius. If you have not tried this sort of produce, I urge you to follow the advice of our new contributor, Malcolm Jolley, and do so. You'll never go back to an imported waxy January tomato again. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

They came, they saw, they occupied -- occupied, at least the attention of the media. Canadians unleashed their own version of Occupy Wall Street over the weekend. What they lacked in message they made up for in passion and colour. Numbers turned out to protest -- what exactly? It was a long, often vague list. Banks. Corporate greed. Capitalism. The teetering world economy. The frustration is understandable, especially down south. The United States is facing its worst economic depression since, well, the Depression. None of those responsible for contributing to the crash -- and here, there are actual names and faces -- have been brought to account. In Canada, however, the banks have behaved... pretty well. Canadians have escaped... the worst of the recession (and I say that with a qualified "so far." If Europe falls, we're all toast). Still, fears are real. And so is the uncertainty of our future. So what the hell. Get out there if that's your bag.

Already there is speculation as to whether Gaddafi's death will boost the Obama's approval rating, which hit a new low last week of 41 per cent (his popularity soared to 60 per cent after the killing of Osama). I'd bet that Obama won't get too much bounce from this one: The Seal Team 6 operation that destroyed Osama was brave and laudable; by contrast, there was something deeply sickening about seeing the bloodied Gadaffi being set upon by a chanting mob. Reacting to these images, HuffPost contributor Tarek Fatah bemoaned the onset of an Arab Winter. On a less ghoulish note, in a blog published on Tuesday, entitled "Jamie Hubley Didn't Have to Die," lawyer Josh Scheinert implored Canadians to follow the "It Gets Better Project." And then lo and behold, a group of Conservative MPs got together and released an anti-bullying video, in memory of Hubley, entitled guess what? "It Gets Better."

I'm just going to admit it outright: I am weary of Halloween. I'm not sure what the 'Grinch' equivalent is for this holiday, but that's what I am. I don't look forward to the gooey, slimy, hazardous mess that is pumpkin carving. I don't like dressing up in a costume. I dislike, intensely, the death 'n gore theme. And I'd rather not answer the door 50 times in an evening, only to hand out the same 'assorted candy bar' selection as everyone else -- and to trick or treaters in their 20s yet -- at the risk of having my house egged for failing to do so. "Thriller" and "Monster Mash" become as irritating in their repetition at this time of year as "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" does by late November. Do I sound cranky yet?