The battle was won

But the War is not over. Harper's War on Information will rage throughout this next parliamentary session and set the stage for the final fight (a clash, some might say) in the next election.

Today's 153-151 vote was not only crucial for progressives all across Canada, but for our law enforcement officers. Today, the data needed for these men and women to do their jobs safely was saved. On a political level, this was a huge win for the Liberal party - Ignatieff especially. They've got to be going home tonight feeling confidant in themselves. They met Harper head-on. They did not betray their principles when they threw down. And you know what? They won.

In short: today's vote was a big deal for the Liberals as they prepare for a volatile session in the HoC. And good on the 6 NDP MPs who sided with the Liberals and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police to keep this life-saving information at arms length of our law enforcement.

You know, the last vote I can think of that had this much riding on it (both in terms of party moral and social direction of the country) was Paul Martin's bill C-38 - an amendment to Canada's Marriage Act to recognize same-sex marriages, in 2005. That vote was decided 158-133 with 15 abstentions, which doesn't sound so dramatic unless you recall that the bill needed 154 votes to pass.

All in all, today has been a great day for progressives in the Canadian House of Commons!