The Fantastic Finish

So... that was a fantastic finish election night wasn't it? It was initially a foregone conclusion; the Conservatives would win; but the N.D.P. did give them quite a scare didn't they?

I'm one of the few people who will publicly admit that I can find few faults with a Conservative majority government.  Four years of unadulterated peace, of not wondering if that next budget or policy announcement will lose the confidence of the House.  Four years to see what Stephen Harper can do with a majority, which, I think will prove very interesting.  The results are mixed for  Harper; he lost four cabinet ministers, and Quebec.  Each has to be considered a light slap on the wrist.  But he gained seats in what was previously termed the "Liberal fortress" Toronto and Ontario in general. The fact Harper would end the campagin the place he started- as Prime Minister was never in doubt who would oppose him was a different matter.

From the get-go everyone thought it was going to be the Liberals.  They had a good platform launch, and some good ideas. Around the time of the English debate it all fell apart.  It was then when the affable, charming Jack Layton of the N.D.P. struck a blow against his Liberal counterpart Michael Ignatieff.  It was on the surface a harmless comment- Layton remarked on Ignatieff's attendance- or absence in the House of Commons.  Ignatieff just brushed it aside, and that moment did more to crystalize why Canadians don't like Michael Ignatieff than any Conservative attack ad.

Things then began to get worse for Ignatieff; there were the near hysterical "rise up" moments.  And the moments where the party brought out Paul Martin, and Jean Chretien- each viewed as a sign of the party's  growing desperation.  And while it got worse for him, it got better for Jack Layton.

Layton's poll numbers continued going up.  Suddenly there was something about the N.D.P. that Canadians liked.  Within days of the election there were scenarios that would have seen Jack Layton Prime Minister. Who knows why he got as popular as he did; it might have been the underlying need for a change or the need to see something positive going on in Ottawa.  Whatever the reason was we woke up to an N.D.P sitting in the opposition with over 100 seats, and the Liberals sitting a historic third place at 34 seats.  As an added bonus, the Sepratist Bloc Quebecios were reduced to 4 seats, and not one of them was Gilles Duceppe. The Greens even had their first MP thanks to Elizabeth May.

I think the N.D.P. could very well temper the Conservatives.  Historically they've served as the country's "social conscience" and there's really no reason why they can't continue in that role more powerful than ever.  I don't think there's anything to fear from Harper's majority- the N.D.P. will temper it, and probably force them to go a little more left.  And a majority will mean a lot less sniping, and a little more governing- I don't know about you, but I am so ready for that.  Let's see what Harper will do the next four years- and then if we don't like it, we can throw him out.