All six Progressive Conservative MLAs who broke ranks with the premier in the spring to vote with the Opposition Liberals on Policy 713 fell in line Friday morning, supporting the government.

The motion to support the Oct. 17 throne speech passed 27-19.

Just ahead of that vote, a Liberal amendment declaring no confidence in the government was defeated by the same margin, with those six PC MLAs voting against the motion.

  All six PC MLAs who broke ranks with Higgs in the spring — clockwise from top left, Andrea Anderson-Mason, Trevor Holder, Dorothy Shephard, Jeff Carr, Ross Wetmore and Daniel Allain — fell in line Friday morning. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)

Had either vote gone the other way, it would have triggered an election.

But Higgs retains the discretion to call one, something he again refused to rule out on Friday.

"We will continue to make preparations and be ready, because I think it's the prudent thing to do," he told reporters. 

"We have activities under way in that regard, and we are just going to be election ready."

Asked if he would be at the legislature for next week's scheduled sittings, Higgs said, "At this point, I intend to be."