There was a feeling of 'intense drama' in Ottawa and the House of Commons today as MPs awaited this afternoon's pivotal confidence vote, reported Yukon MP Larry Bagnell.

With the pending budget confidence vote scheduled for approximately 5:30 p.m. EST (2:30 p.m. Yukon time), Parliament and much of Canada were sitting on pins and needles waiting to see if Canadians will be headed back to the polls.

It hasn't even been a year since the Paul Martin regime was put into power with a minority government.

Bagnell said in an interview this morning there is a feeling of excitement in Ottawa, but there is also a sense of 'not knowing what is going to happen.'

The outcome of the vote may lay with British Columbia independent MP Chuck Cadman, who hasn't announced how he will vote this afternoon.

However, he has hinted he will vote according to what his constituents want. Most have stated in a poll they want to wait until the Gomery inquiry concludes before making any decisions.

Alberta independent MP David Kilgour has hinted he will vote with the Conservative-Bloc Quebecois alliance to topple the Liberal government.

Kilgour has stated he is upset by Martin's move to appoint prominent Toronto-area MP Belinda Stronach to the cabinet after she defected from the Conservative party on Tuesday morning.

Kilgour had also previously stated he would vote against the Liberal government if they did not honour a commitment to send Canadian troops to Darfur.

If Cadman votes with the Liberals and Kilgour with the Conservatives, it would be a tie and the Speaker of the House of Commons, Peter Milliken, a Liberal, would cast a vote to break the tie.

Bagnell said he can't predict what would happen and that the outcome will likely rest with Cadman, who is fighting cancer.

The situation is drawing the public's attention to the goings-on in Parliament, he said, suggesting that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

'At least people are watching,' he said, adding this will likely be the most watched vote in the history of Canada.

'People don't watch our votes very often,' he said.

Despite the circumstances, it's good to see Canadian attention drawn to some large issues in regards to the budget, he said.

It is a 'very popular budget,' he said, with spending on child care and the Northern Strategy included in it.

The outcome of the vote has seemed slightly more certain to end in favour of the Liberals since Stronach crossed the floor.

Bagnell said when he learned of Stronach joining the party, it was 'uplifting.'

Her ideals reinforce the Liberal philosophy of being a centre party, but a progressive party, he said.

Many of the remaining former Progressive Conservatives have crossed the legislature's floor and joined the Liberals since the Progressive Conservatives and the Canadian Alliance joined together as the Conservative Party of Canada last spring. Among them is cabinet minister Scott Brison.

Bagnell said the movement of the 'progressives' to the Liberal side of the floor should be an indication to Canadians that most of what remains on the Conservative side are those who are on the far right wing of the political spectrum.

He added that the Conservatives have voted down land claim legislation and other legislation related to social issues in the country. The Conservatives are working against creating unity among the Canadian regions, he said.

The present Liberal government has progressive social policies, said Bagnell, with the ability to be like the former Progressive Conservatives, he added.

This is good for Canada because it allows for the government to serve the needs of Canadians at an economic and social level, Bagnell said.

He's had the opportunity to speak with Stronach this week, and he said he told her, 'You've come home now.'

In previous conversations with Stronach over the past parliamentary session, Bagnell said he had told her that she was really a Liberal at heart.

Stronach has voted with the Liberals on some social legislation. She has also spoken out publicly against the Conservative stance on gay marriage.

'She made her decision for Canada,' Bagnell said.

There is speculation if an election were to be called this week, the only party to gain a significant number of seats would be the Bloc.

An electoral win like that could be dangerous for Canada, Bagnell said. It may lead to another referendum in the province, he added. The separatist Parti Quebecois is far ahead of the Quebec Liberal government in provincial polls.

Bagnell, who was in the Yukon last weekend, said he did not hear from one person a desire for an election to be called this week.

Whatever happens in today's vote, Bagnell said, the best thing for Canada is to continue to ensure it has strong parties to form both the government and the opposition.