Will Harper take the plunge?

Will Stephen Harper take the plunge and pull the plug on the current Parliament? Last week with two polls showing the Cons flirting with majority territory no doubt he was being tempted. The results of yesterday's Quebec election are being spun as favourable for Harper's Conservatives in Quebec but methinks the situation is more complicated than it appears. In any event a new Decima poll might throw some cold water on the election fever. This poll showed the Conservatives nationally at 35 per cent versus 31 for the Liberals, 13 per cent for the NDP and 10 per cent for the Green Party.The one positive for Harper was in Quebec where the Cons surpassed the Liberals for the first time in months, with 25 per cent compared with the the Bloc Quebecois at 34 per cent, the Liberals at 20 per cent, the Green Party at 10 per cent and the NDP at 5 per cent. But in Ontario, the Liberals remained ahead at 41 per cent to the Cons' 33 per cent.

Mr. Harper would be wise to think twice before precipitating an election over some contrived confidence vote. If he does, he may find himself again in minority territory.