Michael Coren makes some predictions for 2009:

From www.ottawasun.com :

Crystal Ball Time

No Canadian coalition, Barack backlash in the cards for 2009

By Michael Coren

New Year predictions: As risky as they are predictable for a columnist, but here goes.

- There will be no coalition government in Canada.

The entire episode was an NDP and separatist fantasy sold to a weak, vacillating Stephane Dion. At least a dozen Liberal MPs were convinced that any such regime would have cost them their seats in a subsequent election and, anyway, the Liberal establishment despises socialism even more than it does conservatism.

Harper will compromise on his budget as he already has with his economic statements and it will be politically impossible, as well as electorally disastrous, for the Liberals to bring down the government.

Michael Ignatieff will take firm hold of his party but will increasingly alienate his caucus and grassroots Liberals, who can tolerate almost anything apart from admiration for the United States.

- In the U.S. itself the media will begin to turn against President Barack Obama as the new shiny gift is unwrapped and people realize that it's just the same old present in new paper. We already know that it's editors rather than reporters who adore the man and that ordinary reporters find him to be cold and difficult. His policies will be more of the same old, delivered by more of the same old hacks.

- In foreign affairs the most surprising development will be direct negotiations between Israel and Syria. President Bashar al-Assad is terrified of Iranian influence and Islamic fundamentalism. His economy is stagnating and he is desperate to bring Syria into the West's orbit. There will be compromise on the subject of the Golan Heights and Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and most of the Gulf states will marginalize Hamas, Hezbollah and Tehran.

- The economy will not reblossom but it will find a natural equilibrium. The banks have learned a lesson and are now using credit as they should have done several years ago. Governments will use stimulus packages moderately but usefully and the market will recover up to half of its 2008 losses.Lower housing and oil prices will partly compensate for lack of wage increases and unemployment.

- The obsession with the environment will decline and green organizations and special interest groups will lose much of their momentum. While ecology and climate change will always be serious issues, there will be less support for the hysteria of ecological zealots who seem to dislike people but love the planet. The Canadian Green Party will slide into even greater obscurity.

- Human Rights Commissions will have their powers limited and be redirected to do their real jobs in guaranteeing that people are not denied jobs or homes because of their race, faith, disability or sexuality. There will be far less tolerance for extremists posing as human rights bureaucrats trying to limit freedom of speech merely because someone, somewhere, finds something offensive.

- The Michael Coren Show on CTS, available on basic cable throughout Ontario and Alberta and on digital in the rest of Canada, will extend its audience even beyond its current 200,000. Viewers will agree that it's the best current affairs show on television and that its host is also modest.

- Canada will continue to be the most inviting, tolerant and fertile country in the world. The envy of all and the pride of those fortunate enough to live here. They will all, irrespective of politics, wish one another a happy, safe and profitable 2009.