not much news out of Canada

[calimac]

Since the most recent of the major political earthquakes which regularly shake not stir the Canadian polity, the 2003 merger of two right-wing parties to form a new model Conservative Party, there have been three general elections, the latest yesterday. Each has resulted in a minority government - the only previous time there've been three of those in a row in Canada was in the 1960s - and in each the New Model Conservatives, who became the largest party and the government at the second election, two years ago, have steadily gained. This time they got about 38% of the vote and 46% of the seats, a notable advance on last time.

And so Canada muddles on as before. Likely as not there'll be some inter-party agreement on the economy, which might distract attention from the Conservatives' social policies. The current administration is far more socially conservative than any previous one in Canada, in the mode if not to the extent of the U.S. Republicans. They've already significantly cut arts funding, one of the livability issues that made Canada such a beacon, and interference in people's private lives can only be prevented by the vigilance of the other parties.

Comments

[alanro.livejournal.com]

Well, I voted at the consulate... And the cut in arts funding did not go over very well at all in Quebec. In fact, this may have cost the Tories the majority they were looking for (the only reason why they called this election in the first place).

An interesting result of the first past the post system: the Bloc Quebecois received approximately 10% of the popular vote and 48 seats in the House of Commons. The Green Party received approximately 8% of the popular vote and zero seats in the House of Commons...

[fionagh.livejournal.com]

This was my first election process witnessed as a newlywed Canadian-to-be. As a family, we're still trying to decide which is the lesser of two evils. America or Canada.

[rurouni-ben.livejournal.com]

I admit I too am disappointed in the results of this election. I take some solace in the fact that it's still only a minority government but that is a small consolation to the fact that Canadians let Harper get this far.

What astounds me is that even abroad I am made very aware of how the Conservatives are in the news every day because they've done something wrong or said something wrong. Even before the election started I knew my vote would be heading as far away from them as possible.

The platform of the Conservatives was ridiculous. It was an anti-Dion platform. It was a "Let's laugh at the geek, Poppa Knows Best, I don't need your help so sit down and shut up" campaign. This a leader does not make. The entire Conservative Campaign was to try and dissuade voters from voting for anyone else instead of reasons for voting Conservative. Sadly it worked. Still didn't get them the majority they wanted, though. Big surprise.

I've often joked about how much my beloved Canada is like Tolkien's Shire. We've let a Sharkey in. He'll head up the minority government some more while he depletes our lands and berates our locals. I just have to hope the time is soon when Canadians are willing to stand up to him, stop being effected by American media, and rally behind a leader worthy to make the nation great again.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

Do you think that Dion could be that leader, or if not, someone else waiting in the Liberals' wings? (Much as I might wish it otherwise, I fear that the NDP doesn't count in the prospective Prime Ministerial sweepstakes.)

[rurouni-ben.livejournal.com]

I think Dion could be the man for the job. I know the odds have been against him since his election as leader of the Liberal Party, but his ideas were big. He was globally minded. But perhaps most importantly, he took the high road from start to finish. Not just on the campaign trail but as Opposition Leader.

All claims that he was not a good leader were to the contrary. Watching the race was much like watching a high school election where the captain of the football team was against the leader of the chess team. As for any other potential leaders in the wings, we'll have to see what results in the party's convention in May 2009.