Orders of the Day - PM to talk guns and gangs with Toronto Mayor Rob Ford

Breaking from his traditional post-Stampede seclusion, the prime minister will spend the day in southern Ontario, where he's expected to talk guns and gangs during a closed-door session with Toronto Mayor Rob Ford at a Scarborough police station before heading off to Oshawa, where GM Canada is expected to reveal new investment in research and development.

According to the media advisory, the PM will not take questions from reporters after his meeting with the mayor, which is designated as a 'cameras only' affair, although it appears that he will do so following the Oshawa event.

Back in Ottawa, Liberal housing critic John McCallum castigates the Conservatives for "failing to bring affordable housing" to the table at today's Council of the Federation meeting in Halifax, in which he will reportedly note that this will have "a strong negative impact on young people."

Later this afternoon, NDP agriculture critics Malcolm Allen and Ruth Ellen Brosseau will demand support for Canadian farmers during this "historic" drought.

Meanwhile, the ministerial circuit will bring a trio of ministers -- Defence Minister Peter MacKay, Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield and ACOA Minister Bernard Valcourt -- to the Joint Meteorological Centre at CFB Gagetown, with similar events slated to be held at military bases in Halifax and Esquimault by local Conservative MPs.

Elsewhere in Nova Scotia, Conservative MP Greg Kerr brings glad tidings -- in the form of federal funding to support the restoration of a local memorial -- to Annapolis Royal.

In Quebec, Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney will make an "announcement" regarding Perce-based  GÎMXPORT, while Industry Minister Christian Paradis hands out money for arts, culture and "Aboriginal projects" in Montreal, courtesy of funding provided by Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore.

Moving west to Ontario, International Trade Minister Ed Fast will give the keynote speech at a breakfast gathering of the Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum, and Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre highlights his government's support for innovation during an "important local announcement" at Nepean-based Solana Networks.

Finally, Minister of State for Seniors Alice Wong unveils new money for the "pan-Canadian" New Horizons program, which will  "combat elder abuse" and otherwise "assist seniors" in Winnipeg.  For up to the minute dispatches from the precinct and beyond, keep your eye on the Parliament Hill Ticker below -- or, alternatively, bookmark it and check back throughout the day.