Will the last ballot go to Adrienne?

For Stephen Harper it may be majority or bust, Jack Layton and Gilles Duceppe may find that power broking has its privileges and for Paul Martin it could all come down to the will of Her Majesties Canadian representative. The much maligned Governor General may play a pivotal role in the selection of our next Prime Minister, should the electorate break the vote down to a minority government situation.

The Sun newspapers tracked down political science professor David Docherty to explain just what role the Governor General would perform in the instance of a minority result. “In a minority situation, even in he (Martin) has fewer seats than the Conservatives, he has that right to meet the House of Commons and put forth his agenda – end of story.

Canada’s political tradition says that if no party reaches a clear majority, Martin as incumbent, would have the first opportunity to put together a minority government, regardless of which part had won the most ridings.

Should the Liberals find themselves second on June 29th but still close enough to deny the Conservatives a majority, Martin would be the one to travel to Rideau Hall and explain just why he should continue to lead the nation. Expect some serious negotiations with the NDP and maybe even the Bloc Quebecois to solidify his presentation to the Governor General. Despite his annoyance at Jack Layton’s interruptions in the debate on Tuesday, Martin will have to listen to Jack’s opinions even more should Canadians deny him a majority.

In the last couple of days, Stephen Harper has been talking about forming a majority, despite polls that show it still too close a race to call. Perhaps it’s just a case of wishful thinking, or subliminal suggestion. Or maybe it’s just some well placed, but respectful distance lobbying for the Governor General.

Madame Clarkson is going to be hearing an awful lot of opinions in the next two weeks, historians will be sending briefs about past Constitutional problems involving elections. It hasn’t been announced if the Governor General will be given another term or if this is her last official function as the Queen’s representative, interesting how her decision if needed, may directly affect her fate.

The election results of June 28th may not give us a definitive decision as far as leadership goes, but it sure is going to provide a lot of drama for political junkies and casual observers alike.