On equal opportunities

Sure, some naysayers might think this is reason to criticize the Harper government's ridiculous degree of thought control:

Two youths who participated in a public forum with Prime Minister Stephen Harper today say their questions were edited by the Prime Minister's Office.

The youths say hot-button words like "abortion" were cut from the questions in an event designed to focus on the G8 and G20 summits scheduled for next month in Ontario.

About 100 youths were gathered in front of TV cameras on Parliament Hill in an event moderated by Conservative Senator Mike Duffy and sponsored by Vision Internationale.

Most of the eight questions posed were on the economy and none addressed any subjects that could potentially embarrass the government.

But look on the bright side: Harper is apparently no less willing to listen to blunt and unfavourable questions from unspecified youths than from, say, his own cabinet ministers. And that has to count for something.