Parliament is back to its full compliment of MP's, after three by-elections were held this week.  

Two Tories and one Liberal took their seats in the house of commons yesterday.

Two of them are from Manitoba, with Bob Sopuck winning for the Conservatives, and Liberal Kevin Lamoureux taking Winnipeg North.  Voter turnout was around 30 per cent in both ridings.

Brandon University Political Science Professor Kelly Saunders feels by-elections are worth watching, especially because of the relatively low voter turnout.  She's concerned what the results mean for the next federal election, and believes the minority situation is likely to persist.

Saunders expected Sopuck would win Dauphin because he's well known in the Conservative party, and was also touted as a provincial candidate.  She's surprised Lamoureux took Winnipeg North, which had been a strong NDP seat.  However, Saunders notes Lamoureux is well respected in the city, and is known as a good constituency person.