Wow, this was the most unpredictable election I can remember....(maybe 1993 comes close).....
Here's a map of the electoral landscape, entirely changed:
and the new House of Commons layout for the 41st parliament.
I think it was really historical, who would have bet, at the beginning of the campaign, on such an utter collapse of the Liberal party, gaining only 19% of the vote, and reduced to 34 seats?? I wasn't voting Liberal, but I'm a bit sad to see it in such a sorry state. I hope it regains its lost support at some point in the future. Michael Ignatieff, while not the most inspiring leader, was definitely an example of decency and honesty, and he conceded defeat and resigned in grace. In fact, as Liberal leader, he is better than most that I can imagine....and in my mind has more integrity than Stephen Harper.
My regret, is that like other Liberal leaders who also showed much promise (like Paul Martin), he decided he wanted to paint everything conservative and market-oriented as "Un-Canadian" and foreignly "American". I regret this mode of campaigning, which has kept me from voting Liberal in the past. I think the Liberal party can indeed present a credible, alternative platform without resorting to simple-minded America-bashing and meaningless labeling of "American vs. Canadian values", which may provide good sound-bites in the short term, but do nothing for a party that needs to be stronger on solid policy. Their unwillingness (along with the NDP) to have an adult conversation on health care and its realities and ever-rising costs also prevents Canada from implementing measures to sustain health-care on a longer-term basis.
Who expected the NDP's rise to the Official Opposition with 31% of the popular vote, and 102 seats?? Their previous best was 43 seats captured by Ed Broadbent in 1988. I think they will make a decent opposition, but I'm really glad they didn't seize power at all. I think their fantasy-land economics, and lavish spending promises are a danger to Canadian economic fundamentals. Their eagerness with state intervention and social reengineering, without any consideration of individual responsibility make their platform entirely unattractive to me.
The best result, from my point of view, of this electoral shift, is the demise of the Bloc Quebecois. Reduced to a paltry four seats, and losing official party status, my hope is that French-Canadians take ownership of Canada, and realize that they are part of a country that can help them achieve their hopes and aspirations. The contribution of French-Canadians to Canadian culture is bountiful and priceless. Their contributions have made Canada richer, and my hope is that they will see themselves as an integral part of a great Canadian nation.
The Conservatives have their majority mandate, something they've been striving for since 1988. In this campaign, I was a reluctant Conservative voter, disappointed with increasing concentration of powers in the PMO (making Harper akin to Chretien and entirely abandoning original Reform party populist principles), as well as government secrecy and Harper's disdain of parliament. Nevertheless, the Tories presented the only credible platform to govern Canada....an economic plan based on solid market fundamentals, reasonable and controlled government spending, and reducing expenditures and growing the economy to restore Canada's balance sheet. It's resistance to make government a be-all and end-all solution was to be lauded, and this result mercifully ends Canada's election cycle for at least four years.
However, Harper should note that Canadians are not pleased by his lack of transparency, his petty political games, nor his lack of respect of parliament. He should reform his top-down conservative approach and moderate it with bottom-up initiatives and respect for democracy that he and Preston Manning once advocated during his Reform party years. His sound economic management should include strategies on reducing Canada's environmental footprint in terms of harmful emissions, and greenhouse gases. He needs to realize that conservativism and environmentalism don't have to be at odds with each other....(again the green conservativism that Preston Manning has been calling for).
Canadians have put their country in Conservative hands for the next four years. We expect them to rise above pettyness and squabbling, and govern for all of Canada. If Mr. Harper continues to show Chretienite autocratic tendencies, then Canadians, including myself will not entrust him with power the next time around.
