It must be true about all politics being local

I was amused to see this brief Canadian Press item, featuring both my local MPP and my federal MP in direct conflict. They're husband and wife, yet find themselves opposed on a current hot issue:

Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty may have some animated conversations at his dinner table over the Ontario government's plan to merge the provincial sales tax with the GST.

Flaherty says he fully supports merging Ontario's provincial sales tax with its federal counterpart. But his wife Christine Elliott, a Progressive Conservative member of Ontario's legislature, says her party opposes the tax harmonization.

In a speech in Montreal Thursday night, Flaherty said Elliott was asked by a reporter if this will create awkward moments on the homefront.

He said Elliott replied, "I think we'll stay married, but I respectively disagree with him about this."

Flaherty, a former Ontario finance minister, joked, "I was glad to hear we're going to remain married."

Full disclosure: I've not only met both of them, but I coached two of their sons in soccer several years back.