It’s been a good week for:

* Tory Leader Tim Hudak who released another policy paper - this time on pensions - and continued to articulate his vision of how he would govern if given the opportunity. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said she would ask Ontarians if they had any new ideas.

* New Democatic MP Olivia Chow who, according to a Forum Research poll, is the leading contender to become the next mayor of Toronto – even though she has given no indication that she is even interested in the job.

* Education Minister Laurel Broten who seems certain to get a good report card this term after approving several contract settlements between local school boards and high school teachers.

* MPP Greg Sorbara who was feted at a fund-raising dinner by hundreds of Liberal colleagues and supporters who described him as “an amazing spirit” and a “great Liberal.”

* The City of Toronto, which not only is hosting the 100th Grey Cup – it’s already a sellout – but also is represented by the hometown Argos who have a chance to end years of futility among local teams.

It’s been a bad week for:

* The war on OxyContin after federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq rejected a plea by Deb Matthews and other provincial health ministers to ban the generic version of the adductive painkiller.

* A number of Northern Ontario and rural municipalities that suddenly are scrambling to come up with new dollars after the province announced that it has ended the annual reconciliation of municipal budgets, retroactive to 2011.

* Ontario’s Feed-in-Tariff program after the World Trade Organization reportedly upheld a complaint by Japan and the EU charging that the FIT’s “buy local” guidelines violate free trade regulations. The ruling could lead to the loss of thousands of green energy jobs in the province.

* Prime Minister Stephen Harper who regularly cites the economy as his top priority but refused to meet with provincial premiers at an economic summit in Halifax.

They said it:

"While I will be following the advice of my physicians' 'to the letter' as to how I can protect myself throughout this process, I am hoping that I will be able to carry on with my life as normally as possible"

- Natural Resources Minister Michael Gravelle reveals that he is suffering from lymphoma and will undergo chemotherapy treatment.

“I saw the Argo movie recently and I was taken aback by its distortion of what happened. Because almost everything that was historic or courageous or innovative was done by Canada and not the United States.”

- Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, speaking at Queen’s University, criticizes Ben Affleck film on the rescue of six diplomats from Iran in 1980.

“For far too long, the government’s command-and-control approach to waste diversion has stifled innovation and efficiency in the recycling market.”

- Tory environment critic Michael Harris calling for an end to what he describes as “government-mandated monopolies” on municipal hazardous waste and electronic recycling.

"This is supposed to be a groundbreaking announcement? It is not …It just shows how pathetic the whole thing has become.”

- New Democrat MPP France Gélinas on the news that two school boards had struck deals with their high school teachers.

"Ontario's pharmacists are concerned that the re-entry of this highly sought after formulation of oxycodone will lead to a resurgence of pharmacy armed robberies and break-ins, which have been on the decline in some Ontario jurisdictions since OxyContin was phased out."

- The Ontario Pharmacists' Association reacts to Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq’s announcement that the federal government won’t block the production of generic OxyContin.

“This project would have damaged farmland and water. I don’t think it was NIMBYism. I thought it was people protecting the environment.”

- New Democratic MPP Peter Tabuns after plans to build a huge quarry in Melancthon Township north of Orangeville were dropped in the face of public opposition.

"No, none of these candidates are much better than Big Bird. Liberals are often birds of the same feather - they all tax and spend."

- Tory MPP Rob Jackson who told reporters Friday his party would oppose any candidate who ran for Liberal leader...including Big Bird.

They tweeted it:

@NiagaraNewss: Does anyone else see the irony of the @OntarioLiberal leadership deadline being on Black Friday?

- An anonymous tweeter (no stated affiliation with any news organization) finds the lighter side of the leadership race

The week – for better or worse

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