Harper isn't a fruitcake. There are definitely numerous fruitcakes in the party (which I hope either get dragged out behind the shed and shot or wrapped in duct tape to shut them up) but he's outgrown his previous fruitcake statements of the past 20 years.

With a minority government (155 seats are needed for a majority) the Cons won't be able to implement any socially conservative policies, stuff like rolling back same sex marriage, abortion, etc. All the other parties are left of centre and won't support them. They'll get many of their fiscal stuff through likely with some modifications to appease some of the other parties.

I suspect though that even in the Cons won a majority and implement their "hidden agenda" that gets much press, they'd likely fall come next election and the damage will be undone by the Liberals. Though the courts may beat them to it .

Had the old Progressive Conservative party been alive we'd have a majority PC goverment right now. A majority of us Canucks can get behind a fiscally conservative, socially progressive party no problem including myself though my political views are a little more complicated than that.

Change was needed, not just in the governing party but in the Liberal party as well. The Chretien & Martin hacks need to go along with the people plauged by scandal. Should they do that and have Frank McKenna or Brian Tobin become the new leader you should see a return to a Liberal majority unless the Cons really prove that they've become the fiscally conservative, socially progressive party which this country needs to keep the Liberals in check.

Or else they don't stand a chance with a renewed Liberal party next election.