In light of the recent church bombing in Cairo and right-wing rioters burning down a mosque in Athens, I still say Canada (despite 'reasonable accommodation' dog and pony shows, and trumped-up charges laid against radicalized teenagers) is -- or could be with a few adjustments -- a global example of interfaith harmony.

While our racism/sectarianism may be somewhat polite and repressed, we're not so far from being a kinder, gentler (and colder) Andalusia.

I still think that Canada -- where Muslims fleeing xenophobia in Europe or persecuted Christians fleeing the Middle East are just as likely as not to rub shoulders on the Yonge street line (or on the skytrain to Surrey) -- has enough space and enough 'newness' about it to contain much of the world.

I write this as Iraq's fortunes hang in a delicate, dangerous balance.

While the U.K. has resolved its hung parliament in a matter of days, and without the threat of, say, rival militias backed by Iran and Saudi duking it out or bombs in public markets, the Iraqi saga goes on.

Some two months since Iyad Allawi's nominally secular, Sunni-friendly Iraqyia party won a slim majority over Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki's State of Law Coalition, there is still no clear winner. With the exception of, perhaps, Iran, whose hefty funding of sectarian Shi'a parties will ensure a divided and weak Iraq, especially in the wake of the imminent U.S. withdrawal (now delayed again by a month due to continuing instability).