Jim Walding only won the right to run as an NDP candidate by one vote. If a couple more people had shown up ...
Karlheinz Schreiber said that he was not involved with Walding's vote but not that his money wasn't.
Yeah, I think that Harper figures that Doer is less dangerous as an ambassador than as a Premier and member of the Council of hte Federation (which, despite the official spin, we all know was his idea). However, what Harper is forgetting is that, while Doer had a high profile outside of the Province, as the result of his frequent travels, that, unlike Harper, he delegated responsibilities. Doer's absence will probably not affect the Provinical scene as much and Harper think that it will.
The Council of the Federation is something that Harper would prefer to see fall apart without Doer. Though, as an ambassador, Doer would probably be working as much in conjunction with the Council of the Federation as with the PMO.
Swan, Selinger - who else is still a possibility?