Financial crisis puts Harper's powers of persuasion to the test
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper enters the final week of his bid for a majority under pressure to explain why his steady-as-she-goes approach to economic management is the right course amid a possible global recession.

WHERE THEY STAND 8 Each Monday through to election day, The Globe will try to cut through the campaign rhetoric by examining one issue - and each party's position on it.
Way back on June 22, a public dust-up between the Prime Minister's Office and the media foreshadowed a twist in environmental politics that helps define the current election campaign.

Tories see support growing in Toronto suburbs
The suburban Toronto voters who swept Conservatives to power in Ontario in 1995 and sent them packing in 2003 are poised to play a familiar, influential role on federal election day next week.In the fast-growing 905 region wrapped around the still-Liberal stronghold of Toronto, escalating voter worries about the economy and who can best manage the turbulence fuel federal Conservative hopes of electoral gains on Oct. 14.

Tightening race puts Harper in minority territory
With eight days remaining until Canada votes and anxiety growing over the economy, the race between Liberals and Conservatives is tightening in Ontario and Quebec, sending Stephen Harper's hopes for a majority government fluttering further out of reach.

Immigrants face growing economic mobility gap
Children of Chinese and South Asian immigrants to Canada do dramatically better over time than the offspring of blacks, Filipinos and Latin Americans, new census data reveal.The findings, released quietly last week by Statistics Canada, suggest a new paradigm for understanding immigrants' integration and success.