Know-it-all scribe Ibbitson actually won Canada's most prestigious literary prize in 2015 for writing the best public affairs book of the year which was his biography of Stephen Harper.

While the book's title is less than original ("Harper") the content is fascinating and revealing and even handed, displaying the former PM's warts as well as his considerable strengths.

Why, there is some talk that Ibbitson may know even more than you do about Harper and the main leadership candidates.

I suspect he is correct as to Harper's favourites for the nomination, and the reasons why.

Myself, I'm still on the fence albeit the blisters are starting to become uncomfortable.

But to the former PM's choices (O'Toole, Scheer and Bernier) I would add two from the more socially progressive side in Raitt and Chong.

We'll see how they perform and what they have to say in the next 4 months.

One thing certain is that all five are infinitely better qualified for the PM post than is The Clown Prince.