Ready to govern

It's probably fair to say that David Olive is getting somewhat ahead of himself in describing the outcome of an NDP/Lib coalition. But it's worth highlighting his take on where the NDP stands already:

Layton is the most popular of the federal leaders. He tells me "yeah, that's by default." Uh no. Harper and Duceppe play well to their base; the problem for each is that their bases are too small. The default applies only to Iggy, who hasn't a clue what is base even is, never mind how to expand it.
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Meanwhile, the NDP is the most dynamic party in Canada. In three elections under Jack Layton, the party has increased its popular vote and seat count in the Commons. The Tories have flatlined; the Grits have slid; even the Bloc has slipped.

And the NDP is dead serious about coalitions. Layton has on his desk a thick binder of successful and failed coalitions worldwide, including the local example of the Peterson-Rae coalition that governed Ontario well in 1985-87.

Layton drew on those examples in his failed bid to win over the Grits in a coalition that would have toppled the Tories two years ago. His eminence gris, Brian Topp, wrote a book about it. Read it if you have any doubts the current NDP caucus is ready to co-govern this country.