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Hitchhiker
Rear Admiral
Joined: 11 Aug 2004
Posts: 3514
Location: Ontario, Canada
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 Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:27 pm Harper wins Tory minority government |
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| CBC News wrote: | Harper wins Tory minority government
Last Updated Mon, 23 Jan 2006 23:11:38 EST
CBC News
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper will become Canada's next prime minister, as Canadians have elected a Tory minority government and ended a 12-year reign of Liberal rule.
Nationwide, the Tories are currently leading or elected in 122 ridings, the Liberals in 102, the Bloc in 50 and 31 for the NDP. One independant was elected.
The Tories appeared to make significant gains in Ontario and Quebec, leading or elected in at least two dozen seats in Central Canada.
The NDP also made major gains, up 11 from the 2004 vote.
In Quebec, where they were shut out in 2004, the Tories made major inroads, leading or elected in 10 ridings, eight from the Bloc and two from the Liberals.
* FROM JAN. 23, 2006: Conservatives make breakthrough in Quebec at expense of Liberals and Bloc
In vote-rich Ontario, the Liberals, who captured 75 seats in 2004, are leading or elected in 57 ridings. But the Tories increased their support and are leading or elected in 38 ridings, a gain of 14. The NDP is leading in 11 ridings, up four.
* FROM OCT. 25, 2005: Tories, NDP picking up seats in Ontario
The province, a Liberal stronghold, has 106 seats and is considered the key to victory.
Both Liberal Leader Paul Martin and Conservative Leader Stephen Harper campaigned heavily in the strategic province.
The Greater Toronto Area continued to be painted mostly Liberal red, though, with candidates from the party either leading or declared elected in 35 ridings, compared to four for the Conservatives and four for the NDP.
In Quebec, the Bloc is elected or leading in 50 of the province's 75 ridings, followed by the Liberals with 14 seats. But the Tories were leading or elected in 10 ridings. In 2004, the Bloc received 54 seats, followed by the Liberals with 21.
Early the campaign, Bloc Qu�b�cois Leader Gilles Duceppe, who appeared to set an electoral goal of 50 per cent of the popular vote, focused his attacks on Martin. But with polls suggesting Conservative popularity soaring in the province, Duceppe began slamming Harper.
In the Atlantic provinces, the Liberals, who won 22 seats in the June 2004 election, had elected or were leading in 19 of the region's 32 ridings. The Conservatives, who were hoping to make bigger inroads in the region, were elected or leading in nine ridings, only a gain of two. But they did increase their popular support by 4.5 per cent since the June 2004 vote. The NDP maintained their seat count of three. In the last election, the Liberals took 22 seats, while the Tories picked up seven.
Former Tory turned Liberal Scott Brison, the public works minister, Geoff Regan, minister of fisheries and oceans and Conservative MP Peter MacKay, the party's deputy leader, were among the prominent candidates re-elected in the region.
All four major party leaders held on to their ridings.
* LIVE ANALYSIS: CBC.ca's Reality Check Team on election day developments
The Liberal loss may raise questions about Martin's future as leader and could spark a feisty leadership race .
Many political observers have credited Harper for running a smooth campaign.
He regularly pumped out policy announcements throughout the unusually long 56-day campaign, leaving the Liberals mostly to react.
Martin campaigned on his record as finance minister and his implementation of eight consecutive balanced budgets. He also promised to lower personal income taxes, create a national child-care plan, ban handguns, subsidize post-secondary students and ban the federal use of the notwithstanding clause.
But he spent the last weeks of the campaign going after Harper. He accused him of having an extreme right-wing agenda that would threaten the rights of minorities and take away a woman's right to choose.
Unlike the 2004 election, the Tories were also able to keep their so-called controversial MPs in check. Indeed, reporters complained the party was purposely keeping some candidates away from the media spotlight.
In this campaign, it was the Liberals who were often in damage control mode.
In the early weeks of the campaign, Martin spokesman Scott Reid said parents would spend Harper's child-care subsidy on "beer and popcorn." Later, the Ontario vice-president of the party resigned after he compared NDP candidate Olivia Chow to a dog.
Martin was also questioned about a series of attack ads, in particular one that suggested Harper would post armed soldiers on the streets of Canadian cities.
And just last week, Martin again was on the defensive, having to declare Harper's patriotism after Canadian Auto Workers head Buzz Hargrove, who endorsed the Liberals, suggested the Tory leader was a separatist.
As Martin was forced to contend with the fallout of the sponsorship scandal, his party was hit with two RCMP probes, one into a possible government leak on income trusts and another into alleged illegal spending through the now-defunct unity lobby Option Canada. Opposition parties jumped on the investigations claiming it was proof of what they called more corruption in the Liberal ranks. |
Source, including shineh table
Not like it's news or anything. I'm kind of disappointed. I was hoping that the Liberals might rally enough last minute support to sneak a minority into there, but no, the Conservatives were too strong out west and the NDP were too strong around. . . .
Looks like the Liberals won in Thunder Bay (my city) though. 
I guess I need to get used to saying "Prime Minister Stephen Harper"
But not now. Not tonight. I've just turned off the television. It is snowing outside and quite peaceful. I will turn on some music and write. I can ignore reality as long as possible.
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Puck
The Texan
Joined: 05 Jan 2004
Posts: 5596
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| Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:30 pm |
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Even though I am not Canadian, I must say I am happy .
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
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| Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:34 pm |
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lol. Same here, and I'll tease Dan for this for as long as I'm able 
Good for Canada! Finally we'll have a friendly government up there--and a conservative one at that!
-------signature-------
"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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IntrepidIsMe
Pimp Handed
Joined: 14 Jun 2002
Posts: 13057
Location: New York
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| Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:37 pm |
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Oh, I wouldn't do that. He's feeling rather hostile,
-------signature-------
"Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being."
-Wuthering Heights
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Hitchhiker
Rear Admiral
Joined: 11 Aug 2004
Posts: 3514
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:37 pm |
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There's basically one good side to this: the distribution of seats means that unless the Conservatives cut a lot of deals, the government is going to be at least as ineffective as our last one. So they won't screw things up too badly.
This gives the Liberals and NDP a little more time to find better leaders.
Yeah, I'm an idealist.
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Theresa
Lux Mihi Deus
Joined: 17 Jun 2001
Posts: 27256
Location: United States of America
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| Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:37 pm |
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| Republican_Man wrote: | lol. Same here, and I'll tease Dan for this for as long as I'm able
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I wouldn't do that tonight...
And, I heart Canada! Except for New Brunswick. They can't drive.
-------signature-------
Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with our scars
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Valathous
The Canadian, eh
Joined: 31 Aug 2002
Posts: 19074
Location: Centre Bell
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| Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:39 pm |
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This is revolting. Welcome to the 51st state.
Now we get to look forward to having gay rights removed, backing down on the USA breaking NAFTA agreements and keeping the tariffs on our lumber. Wouldn't be surprised if Harper started selling water and under NAFTA once that starts it's not allowed to stop even if there isn't enough for Canada. And God forbid that Canada shouldn't listen to NAFTA on that issue. The US would jump all over us.
Harper + Bush = Together forever. 
RM, the Liberals were never unfriendly, they just didn't put up with Bush's *beep* and bullying us. You're just happy because now we have a Conservative push-over. This is NOT good for Canada. It's 4 steps backwards.
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
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| Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:40 pm |
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lol. Well, yeah, good point, and it's understandable. He dislikes Harper as much as I disliked Kerry, if not more. So, yeah. I'll wait a few days.
-------signature-------
"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Hitchhiker
Rear Admiral
Joined: 11 Aug 2004
Posts: 3514
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Tue Jan 24, 2006 8:05 am |
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I'm proud of my country for one thing: unlike the American elections, we take defeat well.  We don't spend days afterward contesting the results.
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
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| Tue Jan 24, 2006 10:07 am |
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That's only happened the last two elections, because of the Democrats. 
-------signature-------
"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Valathous
The Canadian, eh
Joined: 31 Aug 2002
Posts: 19074
Location: Centre Bell
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| Tue Jan 24, 2006 12:36 pm |
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On the bright side of all of this, Harper won a VERY SMALL minority. If the Liberals and the Bloc team up they have 30 more seats than the Conservatives. They'd have one more seat than the Conservatives and NDP combined. Considering how much the Bloc loves the Conservatives, I think it's safe to say Harper isn't going to try anything that he knows will bring controversy to the floor. Very tight leash, Harper...
And you know what rocks? lol. The 1 independent seat that was won was in Quebec. A radio DJ ran in a riding and won, lmao. That should be interesting.
Paul Martin stepped down. Expect another election in 2 years once the Liberals have selected a new leader and he's settled in nicely. Tories won't last the full term.
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