Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Election - Bah!

Well, it's a better situation than before the election, but only slightly. So we're in for more of the same-old-same-old.

As it now stands, before the recounts, the Conservative minority is 143 seats or 46% of the total. A few more numbers:

- subtracting the two separatist provinces (Nfld and Quebec) the Tories hold about 59% of the remaining seats;

- west of Quebec they hold 62% of seats, and;

- west of Ontario 75%.

Hmmm!

7 comments:

wilson said...

'So we're in for more of the same-old-same-old.'

Or maybe not. Liberals thought Canadians had temporarily lost their bearings, by giving PMSH a minority.
Liberals spent the entire last 2 1/2 years attacking, smearing and conjouring up scandals, instead of pulling their act together.
In the process, Libs lost the West, a seat in the North and many seats in the Maritimes, and most devastatingly, their fortress in Ontario.

If it is the same od same old in Parliament this time, the Liberals will cease to exist.

Anonymous said...

Get used to it. Eastern Canada will never accept a western based Conservative prime minister. As Gilles Duceppe said: "He's not one of us." The Liberals and NDP cannot make inroads in the west so long as they hold to their socialistic, social-engineering plans. The Librals and NDP will continue to split enough votes in the east to deny the Liberals a majority so long as the western Conservative monolith holds. Only if these two left-wing parties get together can they hope for a majority by scooping up enough eastern votes. Such a scenario will only further alienate the west. Best we split up now.

macdouk said...

As Gilles Duceppe said: "He's not one of us." Give me a break!!
The guy that gets his agenda from ONE province, and from people that don't want anything to do with the rest of Canada.Give your head a shake!!!!!

JR said...

Wilson,
True, it's a decent improvement in Ontario and west. Quebec and Atlantic Canada remain problematic. But overall the situation seems much the same as in 2006. The Tories will, for a while, be able to easily get their agenda through (with the usual compromises). Then things will begin to degenerate, again, with opposition posturing and threats to bring the gov't down. In two years or so we'll again be looking at another election. Of course there are unknowns that make things unpredictable - like the economy and how quickly the Libs dump Dion and who his successor is.

I think Powell is right that Tory prospects will not likely improve in the east next time around.

Anonymous said...

It's time for a senior management change a the Conservative Party of Canada HQ political manangement.

Doug Finlay has run three substandard election campaigns in a row, and that's three strikes. You're out!

Too many gaffes this time, and as a senior politico told me recently , there is incompetence in the war room and political wing.

As an example, just look at the money wasted on their website, apparently targeted at teens, whereas SDA pointed out correctly earlier this summer, they should be targeting intelligent young professionals (sorry, no time to find the link.) Donors don't want to waste their money on cartoon capers.

Buh-bye, Doug!

A Dog Named Kyoto said...

'So we're in for more of the same-old-same-old.'

I must disagree JR. While PMSH did not achieve a majority, he did accomplish something significant. In more ways than one, he has managed to bankrupt the Liberal Party. The LPoC has not yet paid off its debt from the 2006 election, nor their expenses from the last leadership convention. Not only are the Grits now leaderless and politically bankrupt (just what do they stand for anyway?), they are now also pretty much financially bankrupt!

Harper has a defacto majority for at least the next two years.

During the last session, the Liberals barked and barked when it didn't matter, but when it came to a vote of confidence, they rolled over and played dead as quick as you can say "Stephane Dion". Don't expect much change in the next session. There won't be enough Liberals in the House when those critical votes take place.

More importantly, I think that PMSH has changed the course of the country. Conservatism is making a comeback.

JR said...

Dog, All I can add is that I hope you're right.