The CPoC has lost another one in the House.

Two controversial measures in the federal Anti-Terrorism Act will disappear from the law books after a vote last night in the House of Commons that marked the first major political test for Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion.

In a vote of 159 to 124, the combined opposition defeated a Conservative minority government motion that would have renewed the extraordinary legal powers of authorities to detain and interrogate terrorism suspects.

First it was Kyoto, then Kyoto was followed by an Act to Implement the Kelowna Accord, and that has now been followed up by losing their bid to extend Canada’s knee-jerk anti-terrorism laws.

I fully expect Harper and the CPoC to try and flog this dead horse for weeks on end during question period (whether they are actually asked about it or not) but the fact is that if Harper actually thought it was as serious a mistake as he likes to claim he could have easily made it a confidence motion and put the question to the people if he lost.