A few thoughts on the election and the future

[chickenfeet]

It went pretty much as expected. The CPC did surprisingly well in Quebec and rather badly in Ontario but the overall outcome is not dissimilar.

The NDP picked up two handy seats in the Toronto core but didn't really dent the Liberals' hold on the city.

There were a few odd results. Who would have predicted that Belinda Stronach would get reelected?

Ten Quebecers in the CPC caucus should act a some sort of brake on the loonier, socially conservative, Western chauvinists.

CPC+NDP = 153, even without a recount in Muskoka-Parry Sound. So, no PR based deal going there unfortunately.

Any sort of CPC/Bloc or CPC/Liberal alliance would appear to be unthinkable.

A Harper government would therefore appear to be highly unstable unless there are major defections from either the Bloc (unlikely) or the Liberals. The latter would only appear even remotely possible if there were to be a huge dust up over the leadership.

Dare Harper gamble on an early election while the Liberals are leaderless?

Comments

[globetrotter1.livejournal.com]

I am horrified to see how well the Tories did in Quebec. Let's hope they do act as a brake. I suppose they can always pull a Stronach if need be. ;-)

I'm also horrified that Jean Lapierre was reelected. How did this happen? Pettigrew is out, which made me grin.

[frankie-ecap.livejournal.com]

How do you feel about all this?

[okoshun.livejournal.com]

Who would have predicted that Belinda Stronach would get reelected?

I was definitely surprised by that, and it wasn't by a small margin either. So, it makes me wonder, is it because the riding was voting against the Conservatives or because they were voting for the individual in their riding?

[(Anonymous)]

If you were an optimist, you might think that Harper would get the independent Andre Arthur onside, then get everyone to vote for Peter Milliken or whoever the Liberals throw up for Speaker, then have a 154-153 advantage in voting, presuming everyone shows up ... that's a hard road, though. Of course, given the considerable boost the Tories enjoyed from first-past-the-post this time, I don't see them being keen on PR in any event. Not sure what will happen now.