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  • TUESDAY JANUARY 24 2006 6:53 PM

Tories Win Canadian Government

Submitted by Aya

Edited by MissTyrios

Canadians voted yesterday and, after all the dust settled, Stephen Harper came out on top. He is now Canada's 22nd Prime Minister and his party, the Conservatives, is now the government party.

"Tonight, friends, Canadians have voted for change," Mr. Harper said, speaking to supporters in Calgary.

"And Canadians have asked our party to take the lead in delivering that change. I tell Canadians we will respect your trust and we will stick to our words."

Mr. Harper's comments capped a night in which the Liberal's 12-year reign came to an end in a vote that handed the Conservatives a minority mandate but also held that power in check with a solid endorsement of opposition parties as well.


The Tories will have to negotiate with opposition parties in order to keep the party's budgetary promises, including childcare allowances and GST cuts, which have been opposed by all the opposition parties.

Canada's new minority Conservative government will face an uphill battle to get some of its key tax and economic policies in place. Some key election planks may have to be shelved or modified, given the scope of the Conservative win.

The Conservatives won 124 of 308 seats, forging gains in Ontario and Quebec but failing to make significant inroads in Toronto. The Liberals won 103 seats, losing badly in Quebec and rural Ontario. The Bloc Quebecois picked up 51 seats and the NDP boosted their total seat count to 29. There is one independent.

The narrow Conservative victory means the party will have to rely on the support of one or more of the Opposition parties to get its policies enacted, and that means "heavy heavy negotiations," says Garth Whyte of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.


The party won on the message of inaction and scandal on the part of the Liberal Party. The previous government (a Liberal minority government) lasted 18 months. I'm starting a pool to see how long this one will last.

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Comments
JohnClement

JohnClement

Silver Spring, MD
January 2004

JAN 24, 2006 07:09 PM

That's bad, right?
I was having some trouble keeping up in the election thread.

MrDaft

MrDaft

Vancouver, BC
January 2005

JAN 24, 2006 07:13 PM

The thread title has one too many "r"s in it. Otherwise...It was a good change in the end, a minority pc party that can be overturned on almost anything that is needed to have an overturn on. Plus, the liberals needed a leader change...we all knew that. The NDP gained seats, and the Bloc lost some, in the end it was worth it all.

pmonkeyEsquire

pmonkeyEsquire

I'm lost
May 2004

JAN 24, 2006 07:14 PM

well, now Canada will truly live up tot he name "United States North". Sorry, Canada... frown

pmonkeyEsquire

pmonkeyEsquire

I'm lost
May 2004

JAN 24, 2006 07:15 PM

Mountees in Iraq??? Just wait *sigh*

MrDaft

MrDaft

Vancouver, BC
January 2005

JAN 24, 2006 07:16 PM

pmonkeyEsquire said:
well, now Canada will truly live up tot he name "United States North". Sorry, Canada... frown


Nah...it is not that bad...the opposition party combined with either of the two other parties that lost can overthrow anything major the Tories try to do. It was one of the best results in the end that we could have expected for the country.

Salieri

Salieri

Denmark
July 2004

JAN 24, 2006 07:19 PM

It isn't as bad as a majority.

And with an overall gain in NDP seats, I'm not as worried as I could have been.

troglodyte

troglodyte

Victoria, BC
May 2003

JAN 24, 2006 07:22 PM

pmonkeyEsquire said:
Mountees in Iraq??? Just wait *sigh*


We already have Mounties in Jordan training Iraqi police.

pmonkeyEsquire

pmonkeyEsquire

I'm lost
May 2004

JAN 24, 2006 07:23 PM

MrDaft said:

pmonkeyEsquire said:
well, now Canada will truly live up tot he name "United States North". Sorry, Canada... frown


Nah...it is not that bad...the opposition party combined with either of the two other parties that lost can overthrow anything major the Tories try to do. It was one of the best results in the end that we could have expected for the country.




I will never understand Canadian elections. It's like when we nfeel like it we get a new guy. What, no 4 years and then we vote? Someone splain it to me. I like to go to Windsor for Casino, cubans and hand jobs. what ? I have to get my cubans elsewhere now???

Solaris

Solaris

SUICIDEGIRL

British Columbia, Canada

JAN 24, 2006 07:26 PM

i am glad someone already pointed out the spelling error so that i didn't have to look like a douchebag. but look! now i'm ruining that!

and yes, at least they can't do anything too drastic because with every issue, they'll have to be begging for support in a house of commons where they have no allies.

MissTyrios

misstyrios

NEWSWIRE

Allston, MA

JAN 24, 2006 07:30 PM

Sorry, guys - I know nothing about Canadian politics. I was concentrating on trying to understand the substance and forgot to check the title. blush

MrDaft

MrDaft

Vancouver, BC
January 2005

JAN 24, 2006 07:35 PM

pmonkeyEsquire said:

MrDaft said:

pmonkeyEsquire said:
well, now Canada will truly live up tot he name "United States North". Sorry, Canada... frown


Nah...it is not that bad...the opposition party combined with either of the two other parties that lost can overthrow anything major the Tories try to do. It was one of the best results in the end that we could have expected for the country.




I will never understand Canadian elections. It's like when we nfeel like it we get a new guy. What, no 4 years and then we vote? Someone splain it to me. I like to go to Windsor for Casino, cubans and hand jobs. what ? I have to get my cubans elsewhere now???



Come to Canada, get cubans...or any other cultural thing you need from the melting pot we call home.

Without a majority power, the Tories are forced to play safe or also get their asses kicked out of office. It is pretty much that simple. They need a majority power to actually be able to bend us over and fuck us. Otherwise anything that the Oppostion disagrees with will have to somewhat be followed. The minority Government is so small it is not even funny.

On a different note....this is the first time in Canadian History where the the western half of the country is pretty much in power. It is usually Ontario and Quebec that rule the country...this election changed that.

MrDaft

MrDaft

Vancouver, BC
January 2005

JAN 24, 2006 07:36 PM

MissTyrios said:
Sorry, guys - I know nothing about Canadian politics. I was concentrating on trying to understand the substance and forgot to check the title. blush



It's okay, we still love you

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

can you get naked again?



SPOILERS! (Click to view)

Please. wink



alpha_hazard

alpha_hazard

Fort Collins, CO
April 2004

JAN 24, 2006 07:39 PM

aren't conservatives in canada like... Hillary Clinton? wink

I wonder if this means they'll stop with the medical marijuana and free health care, because I was getting sick of them bragging...that'll knock you down a peg!

pmonkeyEsquire

pmonkeyEsquire

I'm lost
May 2004

JAN 24, 2006 07:46 PM

MrDaft said:

pmonkeyEsquire said:

MrDaft said:

pmonkeyEsquire said:
well, now Canada will truly live up tot he name "United States North". Sorry, Canada... frown


Nah...it is not that bad...the opposition party combined with either of the two other parties that lost can overthrow anything major the Tories try to do. It was one of the best results in the end that we could have expected for the country.




I will never understand Canadian elections. It's like when we nfeel like it we get a new guy. What, no 4 years and then we vote? Someone splain it to me. I like to go to Windsor for Casino, cubans and hand jobs. what ? I have to get my cubans elsewhere now???



Come to Canada, get cubans...or any other cultural thing you need from the melting pot we call home.

Without a majority power, the Tories are forced to play safe or also get their asses kicked out of office. It is pretty much that simple. They need a majority power to actually be able to bend us over and fuck us. Otherwise anything that the Oppostion disagrees with will have to somewhat be followed. The minority Government is so small it is not even funny.

On a different note....this is the first time in Canadian History where the the western half of the country is pretty much in power. It is usually Ontario and Quebec that rule the country...this election changed that.



Thank you. As a Michigan resident I feel a sort of inhenent curiosity about Canada, also a deep appreciation. What does this mean for Canada's wildlife and "first nations". Please email me about it all. I'm in Canada over a dozen times a year for many things, including the camping. why can someone be voted out after only 2 yrs?

Solaris

Solaris

SUICIDEGIRL

British Columbia, Canada

JAN 24, 2006 07:48 PM

i hate how western canada is like.... conservatives and hicks. as far as political power goes anyway.whenever politicians speak about 'the west's voice being heard' and all that, they are only referring to alberta and the prairies. then suddenly you hit bc, and we have little in common. i call for a separatist referendum!

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