Canadians can disagree, but it takes a lot to get Canadians to intensely hate something or hate somebody. And it usually involves hockey.

I always say, it doesn't matter how busy I am and how early in the morning it is. The one thing I can always manage to get energy for is to see my kid (Ben) play hockey. I love my job as prime minister, but if you could be a hockey player, I mean, what could be better than that?

The Leader of the Opposition's constitutional obligation - the obligation to Parliament - it's the reason we did the merger! - is to make sure Canadians have an alternative for government.

I think because we're such a trading nation, I think Canadians understand that first and foremost we're part of the global economy.

Canadians know that the promise of a recession didn't happen because of anything we did here. If you look at all the causes of the recession, problems in mortgage markets, the problems in the banking sector, the problems in government finance in countries like Greece, none of those problems were in present Canada.

I think first and foremost everybody should understand that Canadians are strongly committed to the system of universal health insurance, to the principle that your ability to pay does not determine your access to critical medical service.