Unless something dramatic happens at the debate, there is a good possibility of a very weak Conservative minority government with the lefty and sovereignist Bloc Quebecois holding the balance of power. Nutty. Here is why I think this is a good thing:

• The Tories will have to play their cards in a context where the Liberals plus NDP plus Bloc and perhaps even Green can easily out vote them - they would have to administer well;
• if they do have a few or more than a few nutbars in the caucus, they would get shaken out before we decide in the election of 2005 to turf them or give them the full set of keys;
• They will have to explain nutty ideas like why we need two aircraft carriers and how CO2 does not cause problems in the atmosphere; and
• if they are as good as they say and think they are, we get a trial offer, a probation period before tenure, a transition period for them to prove themselves.