Liberal incumbent MP Larry Bagnell was already in a cab to the airport in Ottawa this afternoon as political leaders on Parliament Hill were still taking questions from media after the federal government fell in a non-confidence vote.

"I'll be on the road in the Yukon this weekend, going up the North (Alaska) Highway to Beaver Creek,” Bagnell told the Star of kicking off his campaign for an election.

Its date will be determined after Prime Minister Stephen Harper confers with Canada's Governor General on Saturday.

At 1:30 p.m. Ottawa (EST) time today, Liberal, NDP and Bloc Quebecois MPs voted to topple Harper's Conservative minority government in a non-confidence motion brought about after

a select committee found the government in contempt.

"Harper didn't even note the reason his government has fallen – for contempt of Parliament – and he didn't take any questions from the media,” Bagnell said.

Apart from a brief statement suggesting the opposition parties were putting Canada's economic recovery in jeopardy, Harper avoided the media.

Meanwhile, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff took questions from reporters, but got hung up on whether he would entertain a coalition if the Liberals were unable to form a majority government.

While reporters in Ottawa asked Ignatieff several times, but could not get a straight answer from the Liberal leader, Bagnell tried to clear the air.

"Our strategy, our desire, is to form the next government, and beyond that, I can't say what would happen,” said Bagnell.

"The point Michael Ignatieff was making, I think, is there were a number of ridings last election that went to Conservatives instead of us because votes were split.”

Bagnell has won the previous three elections quite handily. In the most recent one in 2008, the Liberal incumbent defeated his nearest rival by more than 1,800 votes.

Nevertheless, he's not resting on his laurels.

"I run every election as if I'm one vote behind,” he said.

To date, Bagnell's only confirmed competition is Yukon Green Party candidate John Streicker.

He unofficially started his campaign last night at the Gold Panner Saloon with a huge green birthday cake for renowned scientist David Suzuki, who turned 75.

"We're here to win; we're geared up and this time, we've come further and that's what our team is working on – how to get elected to be the voice of the Yukon in Ottawa,” Streicker told the Star.

In the 2008 federal election, Streicker surprised many when he captured 13 per cent of the popular vote and pushed the New Democrats' candidate out of third position.

"I think that all the other parties are going to talk about being afraid of each other, instead of focusing on where we want to go as a country or where the Yukon should be going,” said Streicker, who wants to focus his campaign on the issues and hopes to influence all candidates in getting out the youth vote.

The Yukon's Conservative association has yet to provide details about its nomination meeting, but today the Star learned that it will be at École Émilie-Tremblay at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

To date, Gerrard Fleming, a Northwestel Inc. executive, and Ryan Leef, deputy superintendent of the Whitehorse jail, have stated their desire to carry the Conservative banner into the election.

From the New Democrats' camp, they have yet to announce a date for a nomination meeting, although riding association president Brian Eaton said it could be as early as Tuesday of next week.

As well, no potential candidates have made their intentions public.