Canada finally now has a majority Conservative government and we need a majority to properly administer the public agenda.
Italy is a prime example of a country trying to limp along with a minority government, and that country is perpetually in disarray, notwithstanding the shapely models who keep getting the prime minister into trouble. Should countries have an effective and organized opposition? Yes, but not one interested in crippling the governing body.
What is most interesting is the voters of Canada have proven we can elect a government without the aid of Quebec, a situation where the tail has always wagged the dog. I would much rather have seen more Conservative seats from Quebec, however, the voters felt otherwise.
Many people with whom I have spoken after the election have wondered whether Prime Minister Stephen Harper will leave Quebec by the wayside. Harper did a great deal to placate Quebec, and they thanked him by returning fewer Tory seats than before the election. In his acceptance speech, the Prime Minister ensured the people of Canada the Conservative Party will be the government of all Canadians, including those who did not vote Conservative. It is gratifying to observe The West (B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba) and Ontario, have solidified a nucleus of political governance to enable our great country to move forward with surety and conviction to enhance the challenges that lay ahead.
Liberal Party leader Micheal Ignatieff forced an election which he should have known he was not prepared for. He should have been cognizant of his limited potential for winning, by observing the polling numbers prior to bringing down the government. I would venture Ignatieff’s troubles began last fall when it appeared the Liberal party was not behind him. Clearly there was a split in the party, and it never supported him as party leader in the manner in which it should have. Moreover, the Liberals were not prepared for an election politically, financially or organizationally. Assuming Ignatieff knew that he should have held back from trying to force an election. There must be a resurgence of the Liberal Party, and the reason is Jack Layton’s New Democrats. The NDP under Layton’s stewardship has become too radically leftist, and would endanger the national wellbeing of the country, were it ever to assume office in an election, even in a coalition form with the Liberals.
The Green Party now has one representative in Parliament, Elizabeth May. Will she be an asset or will she just talk a lot?
The Bloc has lost 45 seats and they no longer hold official party status in the House of Commons. However, I am fearful the separatist movement is not yet entirely eliminated from the national political scene. Should the Parti Quebecois form the next provincial government the rest of Canada could have problems in dealing with Quebec.
As the second largest party in Parliament the NDP will form the next Official Opposition and Layton is gloating. The NDP gained 66 seats from 36. Outside of Quebec, they gained only 10 seats, mostly at the expense of the Liberals. It seems throughout most of Canada, people were not too enthused with Layton’s platform. It is rumoured Layton told the Quebec electorate they were subsidizing the Alberta oilsands; he would reopen constitution talks; he would give Quebec City $25 million to build a NHL hockey arena and would build a high speed rail from Quebec City to Windsor. At whose expense I would wonder would all of this be done? We learn many of his frontbenchers are (or were) union leaders. And what about the “Junior Jacks”? It is humorous when we find a new MP really did not know where her own riding was, maybe someone should tell her it is in the Beaufort Sea. Given what is known about her level of political knowledge, and experience, she might even believe that, too.
This all could actually be amusing except these political neophytes will each collect $155,000 in MP salaries per annum. Knowing that, one wonders what the people of Quebec were really thinking as they voted for these clowns. Let us hope Layton’s amateur hour will come to a definite end, and rather soon. It all begs the question of whether the Orange Crush phenomenon will really last.
The Conservatives, having built on Preston Manning’s foundation, and with Harper at the helm, are without doubt the most organized, clearly focused and thus best suited political party to lead the country. They have representatives from all across Canada, and will govern with stability, consistency and vision through these challenging times. As mentioned above, Harper’s win unites Alberta and Ontario — two provinces that have long been at odds with each other. This bodes well for both provinces, in as much as we can expect more economic success in oil, agriculture, coal, forestry and hopefully manufacturing. Because the West and Ontario together hold 145 seats in parliament, we can look forward to better stability across the nation.
Although Layton’s slogan was “Do you want change or not?” he was not really its author. Harper has already made changes and it would appear more are on the way. In his acceptance speech after the election, Harper said the Conservatives will govern for and represent all of the people of Canada, including those who did not vote for them. For the good of the country he must use his newfound majority with wisdom. Somehow, I feel he will.
