Conrad Black, self-proclaimed freedom fighter, was in fine form the other night when he made an appearance at the Empire Club of Canada in downtown Toronto.

Black, who is now trying to get his Canadian citizenship back, told reporters that he was optimistic about his chances at his trial next March where stands accused of ripping tens of millions off his old media company Hollinger to pay for his lavish lifestyle. There was no way he would plea bargain, he declared.

"You are well aware of what I think of the charges and we're just going to try the case. Asked how he felt about the trial he replied: ''Very optimistic. I know the facts."

No doubt the US prosecutors have a few facts up their sleeves too.

Black's appearance at the Empire Club is no doubt aimed at fixing up his soiled image in Canada. And all part of the campaign to show that he loves Canada again so he deserves to get his citizenship back. Black ditched his Canadian citizenship back in 2001 so that he could be admitted into Britain's House of Lords but, if he is convicted, a restored citizenship would allow the Lord Black of Crossharbour to seek transfer to a Canadian jail.

That's why after giving Canada the two-finger salute years ago, he was telling the audience on the night that his old country was going to be a force in international politics and was "more important that Italy", according to a Toronto Star report.

Of course, Black might have a bit of a struggle getting his citizenship back. There's a tiny little complication of those criminal charges of him stealing $80 million from Hollinger.

Still, the feisty freedom fighter wasn't completely enamored with all things Canadian. He was scathing for instance about Canadian politicians, reports his old paper the National Post, calling among other things the Tories a "generally fissiparous group of malcontents".

Now, that sounds so much more impressive than calling them a punchy bunch of whingers. Black's form of attack is to batter his opponents over the head with a dictionary. Or use his skills as a pompous overblown windbag to bore them into submission.

So should Black be optimistic. Certainly his high-spending wife Barbara Amiel is. She is telling friends that her husband will once more be a prominent publisher again and has told him to draw up a business plan for investment in yet another newspaper group next year when he is acquitted, reports the Daily Mail.

Dear oh dear. This is going to be one very interesting trial.