Happy New Year to my fellow Canadians. As we are about to embark on a new journey in 2009 let's take a moment to look back at the past year in Canadian news. It's certainly been a year full of surprises.

Though it started in 2007, the discovery of human feet in British Columbia continued in 2008. To date, six disarticulated human feet have been found in BC. As Raechelle points out no foul play is suspected as it's believed they were "naturally" disarticulated but it is still very, very weird.

Brenda Martin caught the attention of Canadians and the media as she was tried and convicted in Mexico on fraud charges. Public opinion was divided on both her treatment in Mexico and her taxpayer-funded return to Canada.

The weather topped the news all year long. From last year's (and in some areas it was), to the St John River flooding in New Brunswick, to the holiday season's winter storms that cancelled flights across the country and let skyrocketing Air Canada complaints.

After Tim McLean was brutally murdered on a Greyhound bus in Manitoba, bus security was examined. New measures were put in place and some think they do little to make the travelling public safer. Meanwhile the suspected murder will go to trial in 2009.

Canadians across the country reexamined their lunch habits after listeriosis outbreak in Maple Leaf luncheon meat. The Maple Leaf corperation accepted full responsilbility for the outbreak and settled a $27 million class-action lawsuit in December.

Politics were far more exciting this year than anticipated. Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier resigned after admitted he left sensitive government documents at his ex-girlfriend's apartment. His ex-girlfriend, Julie Couillard, who has been linked to Hell's Angels members, wrote a book called My Story in which she told all. The MacLean's Blog did a condensed live-read of the book.

It seemed that Canadian politicians were not willing to sit idly by and let our American neighbours have all the election fun and glory. It was a bit of surprise when Prime Minister Stephen Harper called a Canadian election for October 14. It was marked by pooping puffins, talks of vote swapping, another minority goverment for the Conservatives and the worst election turnout ever. There were many theories about why voter apathy was so high but That Grrl suggests they missed the real reason.

I am just not interested in listening to them nit pick and bash at each other like a bunch of spoiled, rude children. How can you take anyone who behaves that way seriously. I sure don't see myself bothering to vote for them. If that is all the political parties have to offer, it's just not enough. I'd vote for someone who could at least try to appear like an adult.

You would think that would have been the pinnacle of Canadian politics but no, they has so much more in store. After just one week of Parliament we were facing the possibilty of another election or possibily a coalition goverment of the Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc under the leadership of Stephane Dion. It caused an uproar on both sides of politics and people spoke out both for and against it. The end result? The Governor General prorogued Parliament until late January. And Stephane Dion? Well he resigned from his position of Liberal leader and Michael Ignatieff was appointed Liberal leader until they can hold a leadership conference in 2009. Who only knows what will happen when Parliament resumes later this month. Will we have a government? Or an election?

With such an up and down year, how better to end the year than with Canada hosting the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships. On New Year's Eve we were treated to what people are calling one of the best hockey games ever played, starring Canada versus the USA. For some, watching the game live was the opportunity of a lifetime And with any luck we'll get to see it again if Canada and the USA make it through final eliminations to face-off in a gold medal game.

What made your Canadian newsmaker list in 2008?

Contributing Editor Sassymonkey also blogs at Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.