The House Chamber was packed to the rafters last Thursday night on an historic spring evening when House Speaker Peter Milliken (Kingston and the Islands, Ont.) cast the first ever tie-breaking confidence vote for a Speaker on the government's budget, giving the Liberals a tight 153 to 152 victory. The Libs and NDP MPs immediately jumped to their feet, roared and applauded as the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois sat looking at them across the aisle. The tension and excitement was palpable, as the sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows on either side of the House Chamber. But before the House vote, MPs mingled in the Lower Chamber, kibbitzing. The press gallery was jammed with reporters, the public galleries were jammed with people. The NDP MPs stood, clapping and sang, "He's got the whole world in his hands," as Independent MP Chuck Cadman (Surrey North, B.C.) took his seat in the House. Mr. Cadman supported the government on both votes as did Independent MP Carolyn Parrish (Mississauga-Erindale, Ont.).

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