1. Imitation is the highest form of flattery. Michael Ignatieff’s Liberals say the Tories are at it again – plagiarizing from former Australian prime minister John Howard.

This time it’s today’s Speech from the Throne. The speech, laying out Stephen Harper’s agenda for this new session, is called “A Stronger Canada; A Stronger Economy; Now and for the Future.” This is very similar to the title of Mr. Howard’s 2004 election platform: “A Stronger Economy. A Stronger Australia.”

In a lively press release headlined “G’day Canada,” the Liberals note the Tories also used portions of Mr. Howard’s 2003 speech on Iraq. Mr. Harper, in fact, was asked about this in the midst of the last election campaign.

It had been revealed that large parts of a speech Mr. Harper had given as opposition leader, which urged Canada to send troops to Iraq, were plagiarized from a Howard speech. Speechwriter Owen Lippert resigned from the Tory campaign as a result.

Meanwhile, the Liberals think they are on to something: “A number of media outlets have reported that today’s Speech from the Throne will … focus on the theme of innovation,” it says.

“Unfortunately, the Conservatives weren’t innovative in the choice of title for today’s speech which appears to be a direct rip-off of former Australian Prime Minister John Howard’s 2004 election platform.”

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman Dimitri Soudas dismissed the charges as ridiculous. He said no one has “copyright” on commonly used words like “stronger” and “economy.”

Mr. Soudas said the Liberals have been spending their time “fighting the recovery” rather than the recession and so they see the words, “Stronger Canada; Stronger Economy” as a “novelty.”

Mr. Harper and Mr. Howard were close as leaders; the Australian prime minister was the first foreign guest to visit Mr. Harper when he first took office. Mr. Harper also addressed the Australian Parliament in 2007. The two were simpatico on a number of issues, including dragging their feet on climate change.

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The Throne Speech comes from a land Down Under? - The Globe and Mail
Heh, I wonder how many ideas our Tories are getting from the Australian Liberals?