Emerson cites health, job stress in decision to leave federal politics By STEVEN CHASE  OTTAWA -- It was a persistent nosebleed - which struck during the Beijing Olympics and lasted nearly two weeks - that helped David Emerson make up his mind to quit federal politics, the departing Conservative Foreign Minister says.  FULL STORY

Harper blasted over hasty top-court nomination While choice of N.S. judge hailed, outraged critics say PM bypassed vetting process by announcing name two days before election call By KIRK MAKIN  -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper's hastily announced nominee to fill a Supreme Court of Canada vacancy - Nova Scotia Court of Appeal Judge Thomas Cromwell - was widely hailed yesterday as a dream candidate who excels at writing and pinpointing the crux of a case.  FULL STORY

Maple Leaf eyes meat slicers in outbreak By MATTHEW CAMPBELL, KAREN HOWLETT AND OMAR EL AKKAD  TORONTO and OTTAWA -- Listeria contamination deep inside two meat-slicing machines at a Toronto processing plant was the likely cause of the recent bacterial outbreak that killed at least 13 people. Maple Leaf Foods Inc. CEO Michael McCain said the Formax 180 slicers, on lines eight and nine of the company's plant on Bartor Road in Toronto, were regularly cleaned but that listeria had been found in parts of the machinery ''well beyond the [manufacturer's] recommended sanitation process.'' The contamination was found only after the devices were completely disassembled.  FULL STORY

Fearing he could win a majority, Harper's rivals sound early alarm Bloc admits he's close; Liberals set to go straight into attack mode By CAMPBELL CLARK AND DANIEL LEBLANC  OTTAWA and MONTREAL -- Stephen Harper's opponents are breaking out sharp early warnings as polls suggest the Conservatives are rising toward majority-government territory, with the Bloc Quebecois already saying the Tories are close, and the Liberals planning to start the campaign on an attack footing.  FULL STORY

THE MAN vs. THE BRAND When he triggers an election tomorrow, the Prime Minister will be in the same position as Paul Martin in '04 - vastly more popular than his party. But to win big, he must raise the Tories up and defeat the Liberal brand By BRIAN LAGHI  -- Four years ago, Paul Martin, who was then prime minister, made the fatal error of assuming he was bigger than the party he led, while Stephen Harper was a toxic figure, the leader whose name even some Conservatives dared not utter.  FULL STORY

Ottawa's deal with GM allows small reprieve from job cuts By STEVEN CHASE AND GREG KEENAN  OTTAWA and TORONTO -- The Harper government has struck an election campaign-eve deal with General Motors of Canada Ltd. that requires the auto maker to build a hybrid car in Oshawa, Ont., invest $245-million in a plant in St. Catharines, Ont., and undertake leading-edge environmental research at its Canadian engineering centre.  FULL STORY