Canada goes conservative

[NiX]

When the sun rose in Canada on Tuesday, it came up in the west.

A new political day dawned after a very long night, and it brought to light what Conservatives hope is a new shining star – Stephen Harper as Prime Minister-elect.

The Tory leader swept to power Monday night in an outcome that many supporters feel is bittersweet.

Harper ended more than a decade of Liberal rule and gave the west a chance to finally feel more connected to Confederation.

But at the same time, voters didn’t make it a landslide or a majority, electing more Liberals and NDP MPs than the pundits believed would return to power.

Still, Harper was holding out olive branches in victory, knowing the minority road ahead would be paved with huge hurdles, unusual alliances and yes, strange bedfellows.

The final standings: the Tories snagged 124 seats, the Liberals 103, the Bloc took 51, and the N.D.P beefed up its presence in Ottawa with 29. There was one independent elected in Quebec.

A majority requires 155 seats.

The Conservatives campaigned on a platform of government accountability, tax cuts, and a crackdown on gun crime, and the momentum for the party was so strong in the past few weeks that it appeared they were headed for a majority government.

But Toronto, which was largely seen as a breakthrough area for the Tories, didn't elect a single Conservative. Neither did Montreal or Vancouver.

That means Harper will have to rely on the support of at least one opposition party in order to survive.

Still, for a man many thought would never hold the keys to 24 Sussex Drive, it’s a major victory, and spells the end of Paul Martin’s leadership.

The first order of business for the new broom will be to sweep in a cabinet.

Expect that same broom to go after a Liberal clean-up next. “Shuffling the deck in Ottawa is not good enough,” Harper declared. “We need to change the system … We will clean up Ottawa by proposing and passing the Federal Accountability Act.”

The P.M. in waiting made it clear that Canada’s other coast, where his biggest supporters live, would now finally get a say in the way things are run back east.

“To the people of the west, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba -- let me just say one thing and let me be clear: The west has wanted in. The west is in now! Canada will work!”

The loud cheering in Calgary was in stark contrast to the gloomy mood in Quebec, where Martin was forced to concede an ignominious defeat.

And his statement that he’d remain an MP but step down as party leader stunned his supporters and almost usurped Harper’s own speech.

As expected, the Tories won most of the Western provinces, taking the majority of the Prairie ridings including a sweep in the province of Alberta.

Though the Tories won more seats than last time in vote-rich Ontario, several of the victories were by a very slim margin.

That suggests the province's voters are wary of how a Conservative government might affect them.

Harper's party also won a few seats in Quebec, where they were shut out last time.

However, they didn’t gain much ground in the Maritimes, winning only nine of 32 seats up for grabs there.

One of those wins was for Conservative Deputy Leader Peter MacKay, who was re-elected in Central Nova.

"We have more seats now than we've had in the last 12 years," MacKay said of the results. "That signals that Atlantic-Canadians have embraced the change, have embraced this modern vision of the Conservative party."

NDP leader Jack Layton had reasons to flash the mustachioed smile that the Conservatives used to attack him in their ads. His party wound up increasing its seat total to 29, up 10 from the last election.

On the up side they're only a minority government and I'm pretty sure the Bloc and NDP won't be supporting Harper in anything major. Of course this is all Canadian so I posted it in the right place.

[jpark]

Heh I agree - but the Economist had a few articles on this running up to the election.

Fortunately a minority gov't.

[Righ]

Nope, politics is the place to put it. This is useless news, not imflamatory, useless shite flamebait that is beneath contempt.

[NiX]

Nope, politics is the place to put it. This is useless news, not imflamatory, useless shite flamebait that is beneath contempt.

You mistake Canadian politics to be as provocative as american politics, Silly!

[Paelos]

But as John Stewart put it so succinctly today, "Can we still stitch their flag to our backpacks and get across Europe? The answer is yes, but the flags need to be a little smaller."

[squirrel]

As a canuck i will vote that this is more useless news than it is politics. A minority gov't with the NDP/BQ holding swing power = 4 years of unproductive limbo. Which, according to some, will be better than 4 years of Liberal rule. Whatever. Where's my fucking tax break biotch?

[Llava]

Shit.  Now where will I take refuge when Conservatism spreads across my country like the black plague?

I'm not going to France. Even I have my limits.

[NiX]

As a canuck i will vote that this is more useless news than it is politics. A minority gov't with the NDP/BQ holding swing power = 4 years of unproductive limbo. Which, according to some, will be better than 4 years of Liberal rule. Whatever. Where's my fucking tax break biotch?

I can't wait to see what this holds in store for us. Harper has promised nothing interesting or productive thus far. Maybe he'll give us a George W. Bush type performance and we can at least get some attention from the rest of the world. If only for a day.

Where's my fucking tax break biotch?

Amen to that. Bout fucking time someone actually followed through with giving one of those. Income tax is a bitch and 15% sales tax (well, for me).. STILL? Why.. jebus.. why..

[Sky]

They have gun crime in Canada? Does this guy head up the moose party?

[Miasma]

As a canuck i will vote that this is more useless news than it is politics. A minority gov't with the NDP/BQ holding swing power = 4 years of unproductive limbo. Which, according to some, will be better than 4 years of Liberal rule. Whatever. Where's my fucking tax break biotch?

I don't think it will go four years, it will probably be brought down as soon as the Liberals select a new leader, I doubt this government will last the year.

Shit. Now where will I take refuge when Conservatism spreads across my country like the black plague?

I'm not going to France. Even I have my limits.

Our Conservative party is probably closer to the Democrats than the Republicans on the political scale.

I hate that our political parties are literally called "Liberal" and "Conservative".  All we need is for the NDP to call themselves the "Socialist" party and the Bloc the "Separatist" party and we won't need a campaign anymore, we can just vote with whatever ideology we are into at the moment.

[NiX]

I have to agree with you Miasma. The naming of the parties really doesn't reflect some or most of their ideas when it comes down to it. But, really, I think it's just a matter of being straightforward and getting stuff done. Though I do think the Bloc should change their name to Seperatist. You know they still want to.

As for Harper, it won't last. We all know it and it's just a matter of time. Think of him as a MMO and this is our 30 day trial. If he can pull off what the Conservatives have been doing in Alberta, I like him. If not, get the hell out. The liberals haven't totally fucked up our country :P

[squirrel]

I don't think it will go four years, it will probably be brought down as soon as the Liberals select a new leader, I doubt this government will last the year.

Probably not four years agreed, but i guarantee it'll last at least 24 months. Noone - Noone - wants another federal election in less time than that, the liberals included. They need to mend the Chretien/Martin fractures and that will take time. Fall 2007/ Spring 2008 is my timeline for the next election - which will still make it 3 federal elections in 5 years.

[Llava]

Last night on the Colbert Report...

"I fixed Canada in 77 days!" he exclaimed as balloons fell from above and a band played a jaunty tune.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/artslife/story.html?id=01af3a61-a929-4c6e-b61f-e694a3a972f7

[Paelos]

Last night on the Colbert Report...

"I fixed Canada in 77 days!" he exclaimed as balloons fell from above and a band played a jaunty tune.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/artslife/story.html?id=01af3a61-a929-4c6e-b61f-e694a3a972f7

It's a solid show. "The Word" is one of the funniest sections I've seen in a long time.

[Roac]

I'm still mixed on the show.  I really like The Word - I don't much care for the rest it after that, and am very unimpressed with his interviews.  Everything up through The Word segment is gold, though.

[Paelos]

It's new, and the writing is sharp. I think given time it will develop into it's niche and become a great show rather than just a good one.

[HaemishM]

His interviews are very hit or miss, mostly depending on whether I'd be interested in the interviewee at all. The Word is the total cream of the show, though, everything else pales in comparison to the joy that is The Word.

[Big Gulp]

Though I do think the Bloc should change their name to Seperatist. You know they still want to.

And I think that were the CIA earning it's pay they'd be covertly funding Bloc Quebecois.  Maybe with some subtle pushes here and there we could fire up seperatist fever to the north and snatch away Alberta while you guys are worried about the frogs.  Another red state with a shitload of oil to boot?  Hell yeah, baby!

[NiX]

Rookie mistake, Gulp. You think we care about Quebec ;)