Setting the agenda

For those wondering what the NDP's "bottom lines" will be in seeing what deals can be made with the Cons, Jack Layton's comments today should give a pretty good hint:

Layton told reporters following his speech that medicare and child care should be high on Harper's agenda.

"Mr. Harper has to decide on these fundamental issues like keeping our public health care system public under a direct attack from Mr. Klein and ensuring that we have more child care spaces in this country," Layton told reporters following his peech.

"He's got to decide if he's going to work in the context of a minority parliament and work with other parties. If going to barrel off on his own, then clearly it's a Parliament that's going to struggle."

We'll see soon how Harper responds. But it should be very clear that the NDP will ensure that Harper either provides at least some resources for key social programs, or face the voters to justify any refusal to do so.