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Incredible. This whole episode is incredible, it has me mesmerized. American politics is like watching paint dry in comparison.

But I honestly feel bad for the Liberal Party. Forest Dion Gump brought this on, and it shows - in a lineup of political party leaders, he is being beaten out in public support by a FUTURE leadership CANDIDATE who nominally "supports" him. The Liberal Party got stuck with possibly the worst candidate that ran (Rae makes me hesitate in saying that). He and his insiders have inflicted a serious wound upon the body of the party - linking them to the unpopular NDP and Bloc, cementing connotations that first sprang up with Dion's "Green Shift" scam. Are the Liberals going to be the European equivalent of a "socialist democrat" party? That won't fly in more than a handful of area codes. It will destroy the party, and that is not good for Canada (as it brings that country one step closer to making the NDP and Greens politically relevant).

If Harper pulls a majority out of this, he will cement his reputation as the most adept political leader in North America in a century. I would have never advised such a reckless approach, and was enraged when I saw the budget that was proposed (not that I disagree with any of the items - I just did not think that an important budget was the right place to antagonize the political opposition and give the public an image of childish antics). I'm impressed by the public's reaction. There has been a lot of rage leveled at the Liberals by their supporters...and to think that Harper calculatingly backed Dion into that corner, just wow.

Oh, I truly believe that he did calculatingly back them into a corner. He knew the opposition were planning this. Rather than have them do it after the budget at the end of January, he pulled this stunt now. This incensed them to this childish action, a mere 6 weeks after Canadians voted them in, and they did this over essentially nothing - except when you factor in that the Liberals are basically bankrupt to the tune of 40+ million dollars, and barely made the last payment on their loan.

Dion is personally in debt over $600,000, so you can be he's crapping himself. Because Harper forced their hand so soon after he was elected democratically, Canadians are now viewing this as a) a naked power grab and b) treasonous seeing as the Libs were so desparate that they turned to the separatists, their sworn enemy, for support.

This is just one more thing to incense Canadians, who were already fed up with the Liberals endless stream of scandals.

Harper is coming out of this looking like a real leader people can trust, his enemies look like second rate losers throwing temper tantrums in parliament and displaying their complete ineptitude.

Harper is a genius!

The Liberals stiffed federalist voters in Quebec and if Conservatives take the island of Montreal from them - its light out for the Liberals in Quebec. Ditto for their Toronto strongholds in vote-rich Ontario.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

American politics is like watching paint dry in comparison.

Are you kidding?

You have fraud, you have international intrigue, your decisions effect the whole world.(Thank God!)(The last one, not the first two)

Canadian politics usually put one to sleep. I admit we have an exciting moment from time to time, but compared to you folks?

No way. ;-)

If Harper pulls a majority out of this, he will cement his reputation as the most adept political leader in North America in a century.....I just did not think that an important budget was the right place to antagonize the political opposition and give the public an image of childish antics

You could be on to something. I've read comments that Harper anticipated a gang-of-three coalition and was deliberately inflammatory in order to smoke them out and provide evidence to the GG of their incompetence. ??? Brilliant, if true.