Harper and the SSM Vote

Over the past few days I've noticed lots of blog posts asking the same question "Could Harper Want to Lose the SSM Vote?" Harper is in a good position for this vote; for him it is win-win. If the motion fails, which it almost certainly will, then he will have fulfilled his promise to base, and be able to put this debate behind him, at least for a while. Now, if hell freezes over, and the motion passes, then harper will have proven that his socially conservative agenda rules the day, and move forward with this, possibly crushing a charter right, while energizing his base, and further polarizing the nation. Today will be a a great day for Harper. Of course several high-profile cabinet ministers will likely vote against the motion. This may not look great for Steve, but the issue will die, and give Canadians ample time to forget about it, before he brings it back next election.