So, fitting my last entry’s random thoughts about laying claim to the majority, it seems that no one can – which I think is a very good thing.
The conservatives got a minority. The NDP picked up a lot of seats. The lesson: the liberals lost, the conservatives didn’t win. One would be hard pressed to interpret this as a shift to the right. The conservatives will try to make it that, but they have no claim to say the voters shifted.
So, fitting my last entry’s random thoughts about laying claim to the majority, it seems that no one can – which I think is a very good thing.
The conservatives got a minority. The NDP picked up a lot of seats. The lesson: the liberals lost, the conservatives didn’t win. One would be hard pressed to interpret this as a shift to the right. The conservatives will try to make it that, but they have no claim to say the voters shifted.
The conservatives picking up votes in Quebec from the liberals suggests that, even though Quebecois are feeling disgusted with the liberals, separation isn’t on the immediate agenda. I’m pleased, because as I’ve said I think Quebec has a good influence on the rest of Canada.
It will be hard for the conservatives to do anything too reactionary, except for those reactionary things that everyone agrees on. National unity based on imperialism? Probably. The trick for them is to use this to prepare for the long haul, as conservatives tend to do.
At any rate, considering how badly it could have gone, considering the actual political forces in the country, and considering that the liberals pretty much had to go, it went as well as it could have.
One depressing outcome: Michael Ignatieff got elected. Bright spot: maybe he’ll be too busy to write?
Watching a Quebec TV call-in
Watching a Quebec TV call-in show this morning, a large portion of the callers said explicitly that they were voting against the Liberals, not for the Conservatives. Obvious, but nice to reaffirm in the face of the inevitable interpretation of this as a mandate for Conservative policies.
I agree with the previous analogy with the PT. The NDP’s real chance at power (from my limited understanding of history… I need to read more) was when the CCF started public health care at the provincial level. The Liberals saw the writing on the wall, and appropriated the policy to avoid an NDP government. Seems like the left is doomed to come up with popular ideas that get stolen by the opportunistic party.
That said, it would be nice if they were actually coming up with ideas worth stealing, rather than promising to implement the promises that the Liberals make to get elected.
How this fits into foreign policy, I don’t know. Sister-city-style municipally-backed Haiti solidarity teams? Long shots.
What I’m surprised by, overall, is the lack of a clear strategy *from anyone* that spells out how the left could conceivably take power. If we can’t imagine it, I doubt very much it’s going to happen by accident. But I’m stealing your line, there, I think.
titles, lines, steal away
titles, lines, steal away dru!
just teasin.
but seriously though, i’m ready for that discussion any time any where…
Michael Ignatieff?!?
Michael Ignatieff?!? Jeez.
Is this a trial run for Thomas Friedman?
one thing that is evident
one thing that is evident from the last elections is that the electoral system in canada is broken. i thinkthat every party should be pressured from day one of their new mandates to get canada on the way to a proportional voting system.