Election Second Update - 7:45PM

The vote percentiles have changed marginally and the national networks have declared a minority Conservative government. No real suprise.
At present, 8 pm, the Conservatives have 109, Liberal 88, Bloc 51, NDP 23 , with one independent.
The mariginal percentiles are apparent in the popular vote. This is a Conservative government that has only 35 per cent of the popular vote.
Herein is the problem as I see it. The Conservative platform is far different from the platforms of the other three parties. They will have to bend like gymnasts in order to move anything through parliament.
Say goodbye to Harper’s plan to give every family $100 a month towards childcare (in lieu of a childcare program) and hello to some sort of national daycare system. There is no way the Bloc will support having its renowned Childcare system cut, and if Quebec gets it, you can bet the other provinces will want something similar.
If Harper cannot bend, no, contort, we will be looking at a lame duck parliament.
Depending what sort of budget the Harper government produces, and how they deal with the other parties in parliament, in particular the NDP and the Bloc, this could be a short-lived government.
There is also a slim chance, if Martin, Layton and Duceppe can form a coalition, that they could act as a majority and petition the Governor General to allow them to form the government.
The chances of this are remote, but it could happen, especially considering no party, and no voter, is ready for another election.
This will be an interesting government.

Here in British Columba Southern Interior, with very few polls in, the NDP lead by a 30 per cent margin.

More later.