Well, it is official, the Conservatives are done, unless they do something extreme like proroguing the parliament. I don't think that is really an option, and I doubt the Governor General would allow it considering the reason for doing it. The dissent in the Conservative ranks is already beginning to show with Stockwell Day and Rob Nickolson not rising when Harper spoke in Question Period. The look on Harper's face when Jim Prentice spoke and the opposition shouting "leader!" was priceless.
The only option to save a Conservative government now is for Stephen Harper to resign. He has had many chances to get a majority government, and now he has failed to provide confidence in the house. I think it is very unlikely the Conservatives will ever get a majority so long as he is the leader, and it will certainly only get harder if Michael Ignatieff becomes Liberal leader (despite my disdain for Ignatieff, he is certainly going to have broader support than Dion).
When it all comes down to it, I think Canadians are going to be pissed off at all parties. Although I welcome a coalition to bring down Harper, I would be lying if I said it will last a long time. I fully expect there to be an election next fall, and I predicted that long before this happened. What a mess.
