Wow this is fascinating when you thought PM Martin wasdead in the water. A Tory PM saves him from going to the polls.
If this hads already been posted ignore.
Stronach defects to Liberals
By ALEXANDER PANETTA
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/05/17/1043481-cp.html
OTTAWA (CP) - The defeat of Paul Martin's Liberal government became less likely Tuesday with the stunning defection of a high-profile Tory MP to the Liberal cabinet. Martin sat beside a smiling Belinda Stronach at a surprise news conference and introduced the rookie parliamentarian as his new human resources minister.
Stronach's departure is a blow to the Tories on several levels - starting with a confidence vote set for Thursday in the House of Commons.
Two Independent MPs haven't said how they will vote and the Liberals now could survive with support from just one of them.
Cynical laughter broke out at a news conference when Martin said the move wasn't about guaranteeing him victory in Thursday's votes on the budget.
"The significance of her decision is not that it necessarily alters the outcome," Martin said, prompting the snickers.
"We still do not know whether the budget will pass or not."
If the Liberals were hoping to weaken their rivals almost on the eve of the crucial vote, they couldn't have scripted a more dramatic defection.
In one fell swoop the new Conservative party lost one of its founding members, its trade critic, its strongest left-leaning voice, a leadership aspirant, and a young, female Ontario MP with romantic ties to the party's deputy leader Peter MacKay.
The Conservatives said the Liberals are on a desperate vote-buying spree and deserve to be toppled.
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper sounded less than enthusiastic, however, about his chances of winning the vote.
"Obviously, Belinda's actions today make the defeat of the government on Thursday much less likely," Harper said.
"But it doesn't in any way change the principled position that our caucus has taken on this issue."
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