Final thoughts? (It's all over but the crying)

[NAB]

Well, it is a done deal...

The Bloc is for all intents and purposes gone from the federal scene.

Quebec has a new voice at the federal level in the federal NDP, who are also now Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

The Federal Liberals are awash in the backwaters of Canadian politics, and leaderless.

There can be no further talk of a "Coalition" government.

The Conservatives under Stephen Harper as Prime Minister have a strong majority in parliament, so can now get on with the nation's business unencumbered for at least 4 years.

PM Harper has appointed his Cabinet, Parliament is set to resume work soon, and a steady course is expected with few surprises if any.

Life should be good for the majority of Canadians, with little reason to rant any more, at least about federal political issues. And for those who think they cannot take it as it will be for the foreseeable future, accept that democracy in Canada still works (albeit much too slow at times IMO), ...and if any still have a problem with the outcome, all I can suggest is they suck it up and learn to live with it. ;-)

The majority have spoken

Any final thoughts?

Nab

[flamingfingers]

The Bloc should have been stillborn. Glad to see it gone.

The Libs did it to themselves. Hopefully the same can happen here in BC unless they ditch Snooky and get some credible person in the leadership.

Perhaps Layton has had his vaccinations for foot in mouth disease and can be an effective opposition leader.

I am hopeful that Harper will effect no major change in any current policy except to perhaps quit throwing taxpayer bucks to extend the 'war on drugs'. And limit taxpayer bucks thrown into the pot for business tax relief.

[coffeeFreak]

I would hardly call 39.6% of the votes garnering a majority government, democracy, but it is what it is, and good or bad, we are looking at it for four years...

▌ Conservative Party 39.6
▌ New Democratic Party 30.6
▌ Liberal Party 18.9
▌ Bloc Quebecois 6.1
▌ Green Party 3.9

http://www.electionalmanac.com/canada/index.php

[Glacier]

Here are my final thoughts.

1) The NDP was the biggest winner of the election in some respects. One need not look any further than Keith Martin's old riding to see how strongly the NDP did. Troy Desouza almost knocked off Martin last time so given this riding did go to the Reform Party in years past, it was almost a given that Desouza would win it for the Conservatives. On election night, the NDP won, thanks in no small part to the utter collapse of the Liberal vote.

2) Looking over the three Okanagan ridings, I see a slim gain by the Conservatives with a huge gain by the NDP.

3) There was an utter collapse of the Green Party in the Okanagan, even moreso than the Liberals.

4) Looking at the Okanagan-Shuswap riding, we can see that many of the green voters moved over to the Conservatives. So much of the "60 voted again the Cons" fallacy.

5) The Cons were only up 6% while the NDP increased this votes by 49%.

6) Attached below is a little table that compares the last two elections. I leave it up to you fine folks to derive any further meaning into the results.

[NAB]

Interesting stats for the Okanagan Glacier. What impresses me right off the top is what I would consider a massive decline in support for the Green Party in those 4 ridings. I cannot help but wonder if that was a province wide phenomena too, or even translated similarly nation wide for that matter. I also wonder how most folk in Elizabeth May's Island riding are feeling now, considering their MP is neither a member of the majority governing party, nor even a member of the official opposition. I know that were I a voter in that riding I wouldn't be feeling particularly well represented in Ottawa any more.

Nab

[UnknownResident]

I know that were I a voter in that riding I wouldn't be feeling particularly well represented in Ottawa any more.

That's fine, I don't feel particularly well represented in Ottawa either.

[NAB]

I know that were I a voter in that riding I wouldn't be feeling particularly well represented in Ottawa any more.

That's fine, I don't feel particularly well represented in Ottawa either.

LOL. How sad, too bad. But I guess you'll get over it

nab

[UnknownResident]

I know that were I a voter in that riding I wouldn't be feeling particularly well represented in Ottawa any more.

That's fine, I don't feel particularly well represented in Ottawa either.

LOL. How sad, too bad. But I guess you'll get over it

nab

Maybe it'll take some time, somewhere around 4 years.

[NAB]

Ya, at least that. And perhaps by then we'll have you converted to the right side ;-)

Nab

[UnknownResident]

I'd be easier to "convert" if two things happen.

1) You'll need to lose the attitude that Harper is right in every decision. Also you have a tendency to post misleading information that you use as ammo against every other party.

2) A party that is "right-wing" will have to be formed that is worth my vote. So far there isn't one.

[NAB]

LOL. One thing you guys are going to have to get over is the idea that "Harper" is the government. He is simply the Prime Minister. And a damned good one at that. There is no leader of any other party that is anywhere close to his level. Whoops, there is only one leader left of any other party that has relevance anyway, and that is Jack Layton. And he will never be Prime Minister because he and his party don't have what it takes to govern this country.

Nab

[UnknownResident]

LOL. One thing you guys are going to have to get over is the idea that "Harper" is the government. He is simply the Prime Minister. And a damned good one at that. There is no leader of any other party that is anywhere close to his level. Whoops, there is only one leader left of any other party that has relevance anyway, and that is Jack Layton. And he will never be Prime Minister because he and his party don't have what it takes to govern this country.

Nab

You managed to reply to my post without addressing it at all. Bravo.

[Tacklewasher]

LOL. One thing you guys are going to have to get over is the idea that "Harper" is the government. He is simply the Prime Minister.

Then maybe they should drop calling it the Harper Government most of the time.

[NAB]

I prefer the simplicity of referring to governments that way in order to easily differentiate one government from another. i.e. the Harper Government from the Mulroney Government or from the Martin or Chretien Governments. Of course we have never had an NDP government to describe similarly as in the "Layton Government", (and probably never will LOL).

Nab

[Woodenhead]

Final thought:

our system leaves plenty of room for improvement (always has tho)

I'm glad there won't be another election soon

I'm sad for what this probably means for the internet here (higher prices & non-court-oversight surveillance, for starters) Otherwise, nothing much would have changed for me, no matter who got voted in.

Oh, and obviously there's lots of sore losers & bad winners LOL (which is why I normally can't be bothered to talk politics online)

Have fun, kids.