Perhaps the greatest reaction to the coalition debate on Parliament Hill is happening in the online world.
Average citizens and the politically savvy are equally using web tools to have their say or to organize support.
An Ottawa man calling himself Pierre Trudeau is regularly posting YouTube videos with political commentary, and said he's getting thousands of views.
Online petitions are also popular, including one drafted by Jean Marc d'Aoust of Embrum.
"I think Canadians want their voices to be heard and I sense their frustration is growing steadily," he told CTV Ottawa in an e-mail.
The number of Facebook groups is also growing rapidly. Thirty thousand members signed up for one such group in one day, started by a 16-year-old in Manitoba.
Websites for and against the proposed Liberal-NDP coalition have also popped up. One, makeparliamentwork.ca, supports the coalition and is planning a noon rally for Parliament Hill on Thursday.
Another website, rallyforCanada.ca, opposes the coalition and plans rallies for Saturday - including one on Parliament Hill. Rural residents will rally on Monday in downtown Ottawa.
Mike Bellinger, a retiree and online commenter, has been busy reading e-mails from friends and family, monitoring websites and Facebook, and posting comments on sites such as ctvottawa.ca.
"I'm not doing this for a political party, I am a Canadian and I am doing this for Canada," he said.
"Politics is a business, and voters are consumers, and I don't think we are getting the best bang for our buck."
Jonathan Malloy, a Carleton University political science professor, is watching the fast and furious debate and isn't surprised by the volume. But he's not sure if politicians have tuned in.
"It's good that people are getting involved and they are debating the issues, even if it has no real significant influence on politicians. But it's good to be part of the debate," Malloy told CTV Ottawa.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Paul Brent
