Oh, That's Just Fantastic.

So, earlier in the week I did very minor examinations of Stephen Harper and Michael Ignatieff. Both were found wanting, but I still had hopes for Stephen Harper. At the very least, I hoped he wouldn't be terrible.

Well, according to The Globe and Mail, Mr. Harper felt there wasn't enough disappointment in my life:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is launching a regional development agency for hard-hit southern Ontario.

The agency, which was previously announced in the federal budget, will be headquartered in Kitchener.

Mr. Harper says minister of state for science and technology Gary Goodyear will be responsible for the agency and will embark on a tour of the region in the coming weeks.

The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario has a $1-billion budget over five years.

Great. About a year ago, the world financial systems were on the verge of collapse. Ever since, we've been worried about economic growth, jobs and, at the risk of hyperbole, not starving to death.

Now Stephen Harper is shoveling one billion dollars into a dying industry. But it's okay - I wasn't looking forward to having a robust economy any time soon.

Here's a little tip for everyone: it's not a good sign if Dalton McGuinty lauds your economic proposal.