FWIW

[GordMay]

I'm NOT inviting a political discussion
Just posting information

Canada gets new ‘Minority’ Conservative Government
With nearly all votes counted, in the race for the 308-seat House, officials results showed Conservatives with 124 seats; Liberals with 103; Bloc Quebecois with 51, New Democratic Party with 29; and one seat to an Independent.
When the (previous) 38th Parliament was dissolved, the Liberals had 133 seats, the Conservatives had 98, the Quebec separatist party Bloc Quebecois had 53 and the New Democrats had 18. There also were four Independents and two vacancies.
Voters cast ballots at 60,000 polling stations amid unseasonably mild winter weather. Turnout from the country's 22.7 million registered voters was expected to be better than the 60 percent of the June 2004 election, the lowest number since 1898.

Party: Seats (Percentage of Popular Vote)
CONS: 124 (36.25%)
LIB: 103 (30.22%)
BQ: 51(10.48%)
NDP: 29 (17.49%)
IND: 1 (0.52%)
OTHER: 0 (5.05%)
Cons 124 + NDP 29 + 1 Ind = 154 (majority)

[CaptainK]

Canadians installed a Conservative government in office for the first time in 12 years but with a limited mandate, signaling voters' desire for change at a measured pace.

Newspapers were quick to point out on Tuesday the fragility of the Conservatives' mandate, with one describing it as party leader Stephen Harper's "Thin Blue Line."

"Canadians did not endorse neo-conservatism when they elected him last night," the Globe and Mail newspaper said in an editorial. "They voted against a Liberal Party that had become smug and arrogant."

Numerous callers to radio talk shows said it was time for change but they were not willing to revamp the entire Canadian political landscape by handing the Conservatives a majority in Parliament.

Monday's election gave the Conservatives 124 seats, below the 155 needed to form a majority. The ruling Liberals won 103 seats while the left-leaning New Democratic Party won 29 seats. The Bloc Quebecois, which campaigns only in the French-speaking province of Quebec, won 51 seats.

"Each and every day, I will assure you of one thing -- I will dedicate myself to making Canada more united, stronger, more prosperous and a safer country," Harper told an ecstatic crowd in the Western Canadian city of Calgary after his win.

The result was a major triumph for Harper, a 46-year-old economist who created the Conservatives in late 2003 by pushing through the merger of two squabbling right-wing parties. He will be the first prime minister from the oil-rich Western province of Alberta for 25 years.

Opinion polls had pointed to a Conservative minority. But the number of Conservative seats was somewhat below forecasts, indicating an unstable government unlikely to last for long.

Minority governments in Canada rarely last longer than 18 months. The outgoing minority Liberal government stayed in power for 17 months before it was defeated in November 2005 over a kickback scandal.

Unlike the Liberals, who governed with the help of the New Democrats, the Conservatives have no natural allies in a four-party Canadian Parliament and will need the support of political rivals on an issue-by-issue basis.

Harper has pledged to work with other parties to push through his agenda, which includes a cut in consumption taxes and a balanced budget.

The defeat was a humiliating blow for outgoing Prime Minister Paul Martin, who inherited a large majority when he took over in December 2003, only to see support fade amid scandals.

He has said he will not lead the Liberals into the next election.

The Liberals, long viewed as Canada's natural governing party, slumped in the polls after police said in late December they were investigating whether the finance minister's office had leaked information about proposed tax changes.

"Canadians voted for hope over fear and accountability over corruption," senior Conservative Jason Kenney said.

The Conservatives won 36.3 percent of the popular vote and the Liberals won 30.2 percent, their second-worst showing since Canada gained independence in 1867.

Harper also vows to clamp down on crime, cut waiting times for health care and improve strained relations with the United States, with whom Canada has a number of trade disputes.

He says he will allow a free vote in Parliament about whether Canada should repeal laws that allow gay marriage.

There will be one independent, a Quebec talk show host who made a career out of lambasting politicians and railing against what he calls the Ottawa establishment.

[BC Mike]

It was the Reform party that formed the basis of the now Conservative party. Alberta is the only province that has no debt and $$ in the bank and no sales tax. It was a clean sweap for conservative in Alberta. In BC the Conservatives who appeared to be to far to the Christian Right were defeated. Strange things happen in BC. The folks are great but politicaly we are all over the place. Too much smoke in the air, too many boats, people actually out enjoying themselves, a very strange province, not unlike NZ. The new PM promised to reduce the GST ( VAT in England ) We pay 7% BC tax and 7% GST tax on nearly all purchases. Plus there are many other taxes, such as the property transfer tax. In Canada we are basically buried in taxes, not unlike many other places. But we have boats and puddles and fish.
Michael

[Alan Wheeler]

Woo-up guy's. Careful this doens't slip down that slippery slope of political argument.
Warning.... the slope is steep, the sides are wet and muddy and there be alligators at the bottom.

[CaptainK]

Chomp Chomp Chomp!!

(Alligators licking their chomps) Chomp Chomp Chomp !!!

[BC Mike]

When your party does well in the election you do not mind a few nibbles. I refuse to get stroppy over politics, I can not be offended. Hopefully my comments appear to be more informational rather than a rigid point of view. Actually I hope all my posts appear that way. There is beer in the fridge and sailing starts again soon. Try and upset my day.
Michael

[NoTies]

Of course you can't be offended Mike, your party won.
rant rant, jackboot, greenies, liberals, conservatives, socialists, fascists, capitalists. There, that should cover all the angles.

It seems to be the trend. The world seems to be leaning to the right these days. Oh well. I have no problem with any particular party, just the actions they take. I certainly hope this is a change for the better and not for the worse. I plan to include parts of Canada in my cruising, so I would hate to see negative changes that would cause me to want to avoid going there. I have some very fond memories of Western Canada.

[gosstyla]

"The world seems to be leaning to the right these days."

It doesn't seem that you have been paying attention to recent elections in South America.

[BC Mike]

In Canada the changes if any, will not be very noticeable to the untrained eye. The GST may go down to 5% from the current 7%. I view this as a positive step. The gun registry may be scrapped and the money spent on law inforcement. I thought registering guns was a civilized thing to do, but the government managed to spend $2 billion on the process, and it is not exactly very functional. The budget was $7 million. I say these changes may happen because it is a minority government, so nothing will change with out the consent of about 35 opposition members. The Conservatives are usually more US friendly than the other parties.
Michael

Gosstyla, .5% does not a quorum make, but yes, I have been paying attention.
Michael, Sweeping changes rarely happen overnight, but it is good to hear that the generally hospitable attitude towards Americans will not change.

[delmarrey]

BC Mike C once whispered in the wind:
The gun registry may be scrapped and the money spent on law inforcement. I thought registering guns was a civilized thing to do, but the government managed to spend $2 billion on the process, and it is not exactly very functional.
Michael

One cannot stop progress in industry. Criminals, if they cannot buy guns, will make them. As a machinist I know how EZ it is to make a gun and you don't need gunpowder.

Education and discipline is what structures a society. If you tell them it's OK to be depraved and do drugs (and other self destructive attitudes), what's to stop them from robbery and murder?

Then one has to fight violence with violence. The violent don't listen to reason until they get so low (jail) that they have to reach up. Then it's a battle of wills and deception.

My $.02