The budget vote: two days later

Paul Martin's government may have survived a crucial confidence vote in the Commons, but his composite Liberal-NDP budget is not yet home free and clear. Thursday's vote simply gave it second reading, after which it now goes to committee. Given that we have a minority government, the committee could alter the budget in any number of ways before reporting back to the Commons for third reading. If the Conservatives manage to win a by-election in Labrador this week, this could embolden them to pursue another motion of no confidence. On the other hand, many Conservatives are expressing relief that there will be no election in the near future, because the public opinion polls have put them behind the Liberals in Ontario and Atlantic Canada.