So, big goings on in Ottawa last week. And in the midst of all the hoopla the annual National Press Gallery Dinner came and went.

Now this is an annual shindig where politicians and members of the media, they sit down together, they have a few beers, they eat some rubber chicken and the political leaders of the day, they make a few silly speeches at their own expense. In 1925 Mackenzie King danced on a table. In 1957 Diefenbaker threw buns at the reporters' heads.

But of course Stephen Harper's in charge now, so he refused to go. Now I think this is a very telling decision. Because traditionally, Prime Ministers, they don't want to go to this thing, but then they suck it back and they go anyway. And why? Politics is a little like junior high. And every year the principal of the school, whether he wants to or not, has to go to the talent show, put on the stupid Hawaiian shirt and the Ray-Bans, and lip-sync to the Spice Girls so for one shining moment the kids don't think he's a giant tool.

Now Harper doesn't get this. So he doesn't go. Fine. It's a free country, he can do what he wants. But that's not good enough for him. He's gotta go one step further and try to ruin it for everyone else by ordering his cabinet ministers to cancel on their dates at the last minute. And the truly disturbing thing is they did.

Now, I know, we all got to work for a living, and a lot of us have demanding bosses, but is there a man or woman in Canada with a shred of dignity that would allow their boss to tell them what social events they're allowed to attend on a Saturday night?

Harper's moving out of domineering boss territory and into David Koresh land. At this point the only thing that he is missing are the robes and eleven wives. He's starting to wear the fact that he just doesn't like people like some sort of badge of honour.

If I were the Tories I'd be a little bit worried. The economy is red hot, the dollar's through the roof, the GST is coming down, everyone's working and the Tories are still only 4 points ahead of Stephane Dion. And everyone thinks he's an idiot.

It is quite possible that despite all the good news the majority of Canadians are never going to sign on to Harper's vision of Canada: where fun is frowned upon, but frowning upon others is fun.