The Liberals largely boycotted the budget vote to avoid an election - this despite a political storm over the Cadman affair, a budding controversy about the government's role in the U.S. election, a softening economy, and the depletion of the federal surplus.
Only 11 Liberals showed up for the vote to ensure the government didn't fall. As a result the government easily passed its third annual budget since taking office in 2006, opposed only by the Bloc Quebecois, the NDP, and a few Liberals in a vote of 125-90.
The Liberals say they don't like the budget but it's not damaging enough to warrant an election. Party insiders say they are not adequately prepared for an election.
New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois MPs have taken turns mocking the Liberals while expressing disgust at a Liberal party that has found increasingly novel ways to ensure it loses key votes.
Conservative House Leader Peter Van Loan joined them in their scorn after the latest Liberal climb-down.
"The Liberal party has a responsibility to the voters who elected them to do their job," he said.
"If Stephane Dion and the Liberal party thought that the budget should pass, they should have had the honesty and integrity to vote for it. If they did not, they should have had the courage to vote against it."
On Monday, just seven Liberal MPs showed up to vote for a Liberal amendment to the budget.
They may face similar dilemmas in the near-future, as New Democrats note there will soon be other opportunities to bring the government down and suggest they may table a non-confidence motion Friday.
"Having a so-called leader who orders his MPs not to enter the Commons for a confidence vote - that's really, really sad," said NDP Leader Jack Layton.
"It's an extraordinary lack of leadership."
The Liberals have remained largely silent on the budget, which has spelled the near-elimination of a federal surplus that recently totalled $13 billion.
They have also not asked a single question in the Commons about a Harper associate's remark that the prime minister is quietly pursuing drastic changes that cut to the very role of the federal government.
Tom Flanagan says the Conservatives are, one step at a time, "tightening the screws" to the government of Canada, squeezing its finances and "boxing in" its ability to create social programs.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty did not deny the remarks when asked about them and noted that he agreed with smaller government.
So far, Liberal questions about the budget have prompted mocking dismissals built around a constant counter-query: if the budget is so bad, why are you keeping the government afloat?
The most significant measure in the budget is the creation of a new tax-sheltered savings account. It also projects relatively tiny surpluses over the coming three years.
