As is the inclination this time of year, allow me a few fearless political predictions for 2009.

Closest to home, City Hall elections will held in October.  In Saskatoon, where Mayor Don Atchison told me several months ago that he'd be running for re-election, expect to see Atch handily returned for a third term.

In Regina, where popular three-term Mayor Pat Fiacco has been more circumspect  on his re-election plans, should Mayor Pat run for a fourth time, expect him to be easily returned too.

Both of these mayors share some common political attributes.  They are positive and realistic voices who reflect the new Saskatchewan.  They take nothing for granted politically, work like Trojans and reach out to ensure that they're well positioned across the political spectrum. 

In both Saskatoon and Regina there are voices on the loony left fringe who oppose these mayors but, on balance, most moderate voters from the left, right and centre like what's happening in our cities.  And full credit goes to Pat Fiacco and Don Atchison.

Provincially, the year begins with far greater challenges than one year ago.  Resource revenues are off from the stratospheric levels of earlier in 2008 and, although positioned as the best place in North America to weather an economic downturn, caution will be the watchword for public policy in the first few months of 2008.

When access to capital improves and commodity markets strengthen, it's back to full speed ahead. Recession ... not here, not likely.

As a result, and barring any self-inflicted injuries, Premier Brad Wall's Saskatchewan Party government will continue to poll favourably.

Later this year, as the Wall government approaches 18-months in office, look for a Cabinet shuffle as some posts in the Cabinet will be moved, some left alone and others tweaked.  It's the way that a Premier -- like a coach -- moves in new talent, rewards jobs well done and moves on people who have maxxed out their contribution.

Across the aisle, NDP old-timer Dwain Lingenfelter -- first elected back in 1978 -- will move back from Alberta to win the Saskatchewan NDP leadership. He will also handily win a safe NDP seat, perhaps Saskatoon Riversdale to be vacated by ex-Premier Lorne Calvert.  History will be made, though, when Lingenfelter will become the first NDP leader never to become a Saskatchewan premier.

On the federal political scene -- the site of the gong show that was early December -- Stephen Harper's Conservative government will open Parliament on Jan. 26 and will bring down a budget the following day. The government will not be toppled.  Not yet.

The government's survival will be due to the number of Michael Ignatieff Liberals who will either support the budget or be absent from budget and non-confidence votes.

For his part, Ignatieff will spend most of 2009 trying to distance himself from Stephane Dion, the Dion party debt, the Dion Green Shift, the Dion coalition and Dion's insistence that Iggy's own signature appeared on a letter supporting the ill-fated coalition with the NDP and supported by the Bloc Quebecois.

Speaking of the coalition that wasn't, in addition to the ever hopeful members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery NDP leader Jack Layton will continue to talk of the coalition as if it may happen. It won't.

And, in the bigger wide world, starting soon in America and spreading northward, the hyperbole-laden and over the top negative media coverage of the market crisis and the economic slowdown will start being tempered and may even be ratcheted back beginning on January 21st.

That is the day after incoming U.S. President Barack Obama, in his inaugural address, will call on Americans to start embracing a more positive attitude and to stop dwelling on a negative past that cannot be changed. This will promptly cue the New York Times, Washington Post and Keith Olbermann/Chris Matthews of MSNBC to stop comparing today's events to the Great Depression.

Jan. 21 is also the first full day that absolutely everything in the world will improve to some degree, mainly because George Bush won't be there to blame anymore.

And -- as we kick off a brand new year on John Gormley Live -- from the same guy who, one year ago, so fearlessly predicted a Hillary Clinton-Rudy Giuliani face-off in the U.S. presidency, the prediction that I truly hope comes to pass in 2009 is that you are blessed with the best of everything.

Happy New Year!