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Canadian Elections (pg. 2)
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My suspicion is that the political climate of Canada won't tolerate the Conservatives for long. Or the country will resist regressive policy moves and move the Conservatives toward a position like the PC, until finally sacking them.
As much as I hate to see a Conservative parliament up north, the Liberal party needs to understand that they aren't the sole proprietors of the Dominion of Canada. The insolence of their negative ad campaign really only emphasizes the point.
I predict another Liberal government in less than three years, maybe two. |
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| occrider |
Well, I guess we'll see just how moderate the conservatives actually are ...
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Harper wins, Martin says he'll step down
Harper-led Conservatives promise ethics overhaul, crime crackdown and tax cuts
Jan. 24, 2006. 12:57 AM
CANADIAN PRESS
Canadians last night elected a minority Conservative government led by Stephen Harper and Prime Minister Paul Martin said early today that he would step down as leader of the Liberal party.
After 13 years of Liberal rule, Canadians elected a government led by Harper that is promising squeaky-clean ethics, a crackdown on crime and lower taxes.
In his concession speech at Liberal headquarters in Montreal, Martin said he would not lead the party into another election.
He said he would consult with party officials about an orderly transition.
He added, “I’ve just telephoned Stephen Harper. And I have offered him my congratulations. The people of Canada have chosen him to lead a minority government. I wish him the best.”
Tory Leader Harper scored a victory because of strong, long-sought gains in Ontario and a Liberal collapse of historic proportions in Quebec.
But he was denied a majority government, meaning his administration will be far tamer than the mighty Liberal and Tory majorities of the last 20 years.
With just over 120 seats, Harper will have to rely on the support of at least one opposition party to survive in the 308-seat House of Commons, and every piece of legislation may have to be negotiated.
The Liberals managed to avoid a rout, holding on to just over 100 seats — down from the 133 they won in the 2004 election.
The NDP made gains in B.C. and Toronto, on track for victory in about 30 ridings — up from 19 in 2004.
The separatist Bloc Quebecois was set to take about 50 seats, down from 58 the last time around.
The result was a near reversal of the 2004 election, in which the Liberals took 135 seats and the Tories 99.
With 84 per cent of the vote counted nationally, the Conservatives were at 36 per cent support compared with 30 for the Liberals, 17 for the NDP, 10 for the Bloc, and four for the Green party.
It’s a massive win for Harper, who was dismissed as unelectable less than two years ago when he took the reins of a new party born out of a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives.
And it’s almost certainly a political death blow to Prime Minister Paul Martin, who will likely be forced to resign soon to make way for a new leader.
Martin, who won his Quebec riding of LaSalle-Emard, told cheering supporters to be proud of Liberal accomplishments — and bide their time.
“We not only believed, we acted on the belief that Canada is strongest as a nation and we endeavoured to ensure that no Canadian is ever left behind.
“There will be another chance, there will be another time.”
As expected, the Conservatives dominated in the West, taking most ridings in the Prairies and scoring a clean sweep in Alberta. But the difference came in Ontario, where they were on track to add about a dozen seats to the 24 they won in 2004.
The Tories also collected a handful of seats in Quebec, a province where they were shut out last time around.
In Atlantic Canada, the anticipated Conservative breakthrough didn’t materialize, delivering only nine of the 32 seats in the region, up just two from the last time around.
The Liberals lost seats everywhere, but suffered the most damage in Ontario, where they were likely to lose about 20 of the 75 ridings they won in 2004.
In Quebec, the Liberals were headed for their second-worst defeat in history — leading in just 14 of the province’s 75 seats. The poorest Liberal showing ever in Quebec was 13 seats in 1882.
Public Works Minister Scott Brison, who defected from the Tories in 2003 after losing a leadership contest, said the Liberals will continue to fight.
Conservative deputy leader Peter MacKay, who was re-elected in Central Nova, said the results show “there is an undeniable and unstoppable sentiment for change in the country.”
The Liberals took a pounding from angry voters upset about government scandal and a rash of urban gun violence, including a brazen Boxing Day shootout in downtown Toronto.
Harper capitalized on those concerns, promising to clean up Liberal corruption and crack down on gun crime.
He also hammered away with crowd-pleasing pledges to shorten medical wait times, reduce the GST and boost military spending.
And he delivered that message every day with a new-found, voter-friendly smile.
As Liberal support in the polls plunged, Martin stepped up his attacks on Harper as a right-wing bogeyman who would run roughshod over minority rights and impose socially conservative mores on the country.
Harper pounded back with equal vigour about Liberal corruption and mismanagement, reminding voters daily about the sponsorship scandal and the Liberal “culture of entitlement.”
Just two years ago, the prospect of Harper as prime minister was almost laughable. He was still battling to lead the newly merged Conservatives and was viewed with suspicion by moderate voters who saw him as an emotionless, right-wing ideologue.
Then the sponsorship scandal really began to take its toll on the Liberals.
It’s unclear how long the new government will survive.
Martin’s minority government lasted 19 months, while Joe Clark’s minority Tory government in 1979 lasted just six. However, Lester Pearson managed to hold together two minority governments in the 1960s.
Many prominent Liberals were among the casualties today, including Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan and Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew.
McLellan’s defeat in Edmonton marked the end of the Liberal presence in Alberta, while Pettigrew was symbolic of the party’s collapse in Quebec.
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| Fir3start3r |
And....the Conservatives win!!!!!!
And....Paul Martin is resigning!!!!!
YIPPPIEEEEE!!!!! :D :gsmile: :D |
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| occrider |
| Hopefully you Canadians can do a better job of conservatism than your incompetant southern neighbors. |
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| Fir3start3r |
| quote: | Originally posted by occrider
Hopefully you Canadians can do a better job of conservatism than your incompetant southern neighbors. |
Oh that won't be hard considering they're replacing the most corrupt government in Canadian history.
But fear not, we'll still be the beer chuggin' socialist healthcare quirks we're always been...only this time we'll have a PM thats actually friendly towards Americans... |
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| hardcore trancer |
| It is a sad day here in Canada :( :mad: :whip: |
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| LazFX |
| quote: | Originally posted by hardcore trancer
It is a sad day here in Canada :( :mad: :whip: |
Do u need airline tickets to get your left wing, terror supporting, suicide bombing loving retard ass out of Canada???
Ha ha ha ha ha ha
:haha: |
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| gouuryella |
| quote: | Originally posted by hardcore trancer
It is a sad day here in Canada :( :mad: :whip: |
:stongue: You are a sad liberal, a very sad one actually. |
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| hardcore trancer |
| quote: | Originally posted by LazFX
Do u need airline tickets to get your left wing, terror supporting, suicide bombing loving retard ass out of Canada???
Ha ha ha ha ha ha
:haha: |
I dont support terrorists like Bush actually,and no Iam not going anywhere so dont you worry my redneck neighbor.
p.s How does it feel knowing that your money is being wasted in Iraq right now? ahahahahaha :haha: :haha: |
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| hardcore trancer |
| quote: | Originally posted by gouuryella
:stongue: You are a sad liberal, a very sad one actually. |
nah dont worry we'll have another eletion in a year,everyone knows that he wont last that long.;) |
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| Fir3start3r |
| quote: | Originally posted by hardcore trancer
nah dont worry we'll have another eletion in a year,everyone knows that he wont last that long.;) |
Nothing against Harper but history shows that minority governments here don't tend to last that long anyways.
So I don't wanna here no, "I told you so" 2 years down the line... ;) |
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| Shamen DJ's |
| quote: | Originally posted by occrider
Hopefully you Canadians can do a better job of conservatism than your incompetant southern neighbors. |
Not likely. |
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