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Needless to say, VanRamblings is relatively pleased with the outcome of the federal election. Prime Minister Paul Martin received the rebuke he so richly deserved for the months of hubris that defined his short term in office. Conservative leader Stephen Harper received his comeuppance for so arrogantly predicting a majority Tory government (“gee, we don’t think so, Stevie”, the Canadian populace pointedly told him).
And a jubilant (RealPlayer required) Jack Layton won his seat in Toronto-Danforth, with an increased presence for the NDP in Canada’s soon-to-be 38th Parliament. As for the 58% of Canadians who told pollsters they wished to see a Liberal-NDP coalition, well, depending on the final results, you seem to have been granted your wish.
VanRamblings is pleased former Progressive Conservative Scott Brison gained Kings-Hants, in Nova Scotia, for the Liberals, and just as pleased that former Alliance MP, Dr. Keith Martin, took Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca for the Grits. We are also pleased that Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan has been declared elected in Edmonton Centre.
On the lamentable side of the election night ledger, VanRamblings finds it regrettable that former Winnipeg mayor and Charleswood-St. James Liberal candidate Glen Murray went down to defeat, as did Toronto City Councillor and NDP candidate Olivia Chow in Trinity-Spadina, while the NDP’s Ian Waddell lost out to Martin Dream Team candidate David Emerson in Vancouver Kingsway. That the NDP’s Lorne Nystrom lost Regina-Qu’Appelle to no-name Tory Andrew Scheer is just short of devastating.
As of this writing, the election results are still trickling in, and no doubt there’ll be a few recounts in the days to come. At 12:26 a.m. PDT the interim results are as you see in the graph at the top of the column. The Liberals and the NDP cannot, together, govern comfortably. The Liberals will require the support of the Bloc Québécois in order to pass the legislation Paul Martin (RealPlayer required) promised Canadians his government would introduce, including a national childcare and early learning programme.
Canadians have spoken. Most Canadians have decided that we want to preserve the Canada of our forefathers, a compassionate Canada, a Canada that is a peacekeeper on the world stage, and a Canada which represents the interests of all Canadians, from the poorest among us to those who are most comfortable. This is our Canada, strong, independent, brave and free.
Good work, Canadians.
