Congratulations to Omeasoo Butt (History Honours, 2005), who performed splendidly last night as one of five finalists on CTV's The Next Great Prime Minister. The show -- surely a hit and a budding national institution -- was good viewing, and the high quality of debate and wit and courage on display from all five of the finalist candidates bodes well for the future of the country, as does the fact that substantive political debate could be presented as popular entertainment. The carefully balanced panel of one Liberal and three Conservative judges -- Brian Mulrooney, Kim Campbell, Joe Clark, and John Turner -- also acquited itself well. Like so many Jimmy Carters, the ex-PMs seemed more human and candid and interesting and appealing than one remembers them when in office. Omeasoo's platform of radical devolution of powers to local communities was the boldest and least conventional, and the one completely divorced from the platforms of the major parties. It was perhaps the platform least likely to serve any federal political aspirations of the candidate herself (not that we shouldn't expect a "Draft Omeasoo" campaign after last night), and perhaps also the platform most likely to initiate debate on issues of local empowerment perennially swept under the federal rug. Omeasoo was wonderful on camera, held up remarkably well under questioning, and more than held her own in debate. She even drew forth an endorsement for Steven Harper from John Turner. She did us all proud.