Canadian PM survives confidence vote

TORONTO – Prime Minister Paul Martin survived a confidence motion by a single vote Thursday, allowing him to retain power and easing one of Canada’s most dramatic political standoffs in decades.

The House of Commons split 152-152 on the measure that served as a confidence motion and it took a vote by the parliament speaker to give the minority government its one-vote victory.

“The margin of tonight’s vote is very narrow – indeed that is an understatement,” said Martin. “We must now move forward in a spirit of cooperation. We ask the opposition to join with us in a renewed effort to make this Parliament work for the people of Canada,” he said.

Independent legislator Chuck Cadman cast a pivotal vote when he sided with the Liberals. That deadlocked the voting, allowing House Speaker Peter Milliken to cast the tiebreaker – the first such scenario in Canadian history.

Though the chamber easily passed the Liberal Party’s budget by a vote of 250-54, it was an amendment to the federal document that served as the test of confidence.

The House of Commons has been paralyzed for weeks with the opposition Conservative Party obstructing business through motions to adjourn and demands that Martin resign.

Martin’s chances of remaining in power appeared grim before this week. But in a stunning move, Conservative legislator Belinda Stronach pledged to vote with the Liberals, fearing the Conservatives would align with Quebec separatists.

The opposition had repeatedly pointed to a corruption scandal within Martin’s Liberal Party, insisting he no longer had enough support to continue to govern.

Martin is not implicated in the money laundering scandal and argued he’s working to expose it.