Yay, NDP!!! Oh!! So sorry, Canada.

Please stop blaming the NDP for the Harper majority.  It was obviously the rightwing of the Liberal Party that swung to Harper in the last minute to keep us 'commies' out that did it.  You know the ones that spent ten years of majority government following every move that Mulroney and Manning laid out, on the theory it would make them unstoppable.   A high percentage of SGI NDPers OTOH went Green to give May her long covetted seat.    I, as you can read here, even defended that tactic.  (in those few areas it could work)  Did the Liberals reciprocate in any way?   No, they just joined in the dishonest last minute attacks against Layton when they were hopelessly behind.   

Next time you want to talk strategic partnership you better think more carefully about who you approach, cuz Jack at least is now leader of the opposition.  That is the one thing we can now build on.  

Ya, electoral reform may have won another sympathetic ear, but don't bet on the Bay Street 'moderates' accepting it. 

Silver linings comrade.  We shall see what transpires next few years.   I just wanted a couple years away fom heavy politics but i guess that one aint gonna be.  

Conservatives kept mentioning the economy, the economy, they have to get down to what they were born to do, which is apparently to fix the economy that's been fragile and weaker by every election since Brian Mulroney's time in the sun. Their Bay Street puppetmasters and them have tied Canada'e economic wagon of fortunes to those of an empire in decline. There will be some percentage of Tory voters who think Harper has something up his sleeve to fix the broken ideology. Wait til they realize he doesn't have a clue the same as all other conservative politicians around the western world. I think it's a general rule that new cars and conservative politicians do not appreciate in value over time.

Malcolm wrote:

Pundit's Guide will be collating a list of constituencies where the "strategic" voting fraud artists recommended voting Liberal - and helped deliver the seats to the Conservatives.

Do you think that may partially explain why the NDP was not able to, on balance, take away seats from the Conservatives outside of Quebec?

Ken Burch wrote:

The other question is vote turnout...if it was lower than expected(btw, does anyone know what the turnout totals were yet?)WHY was that the case?

The Elections Canada site has it around 61% so far

Merci Beaucoup!/Hear, hear! 

The Conservatives managed to garner a whopping 17% of the popular vote in Quebec. 83% of Quebecers rejected Stephen Harper's political vision. They did not reject Canada or even a particular federalist proposal or ideal. They rejected the particular political Conservatism of Stephen Harper. The Conservative party is now about as legitimate in Quebec as the Bloq Quebecois is in Alberta. I fail to see how much stability this will bring to Canada, either in the short or long term. The New Democratic party can probably be seen as Quebec's third and final federalist option.  It's three strikes and you're out Canada. If Quebec cannot have it's political priorities respected within Canada by a successful federalist party, one with power in Otttawa, then they will soon turn once again to a sovereignist option, this time perhaps for the last time. I think that many Quebecers really expected a coalition government, one without the Bloc Quebecois, but one that nevertheless carried their concerns to Ottawa. They voted to get back in from the separatist wilderness, to work within Canada, but on their terms. Now they are again on the outside, with their hopes entrusted to a strange new political vehicle, a new model with a catchy orange paint job, knowing that they have to endure a Canada that is unpalatable for another four or perhaps eight years(as do the 60% of Canadians who rejected Stephen Harper). But unlike English Canada, Quebec can just opt out of the whole f*cking program if it looks like they are going to have to wait forever for the right coalition alignment to come along once again. I doubt that they will be willing to do so 40 years after the quiet revolution. I doubt very much that Stephan Harper will give them reason to be patient while he remakes(destroys) Canada over the next four or perhaps even eight years.

Political Stability? Don't count on it. 

The Liberals had better get their shit together in a hurry, and jettison their right wing if they want to rebuild in Quebec, Toronto or any place else. No more of this "we're left but we're really right" smug, stealth conservative f*cking crap. The stakes are too high now, both for them and for the country. The time for playing games is over. It's time to shit or get off the pot Iggy, Bob, Justin, or whever is lined up next for the expected coronation that leadership of that party once guaranteed. Liberals, let Stephen Harper have his 905 416 ethnoburbia or whatever the hell he calls it. Even with that and all of the West, the best he could muster was less than 40% of the popular vote. The seat count went his way because of vote splitting, pure and simple. The Conservatives have won seats, but they have not gained political legitimacy. None whatsoever. They lost the popular vote, and they cannot blame it on Quebec nationalists this time around. They lost because most Canadians reject their ideology and their goals, and fear that they are arrogant enough to force it down our throats with less than a majority of popular support. And they will do it. Just watch them.

Again, stability? Don't count on it?   

As for the Liberals. They really showed their true colours, didn't they? They fractured under pressure. A house divided against itself cannot stand, and stand it did not. The Liberals will either have to merge with the NDP, dissolve, or form a pact with the NDP that includes not fielding candidates in certain ridings next time around. It's either that or crawl under a rock and die(the preferred option if you ask me). I guess they could get away with their bullsh*t when Canada's middle class was more secure and more optimistic, and the poor were a group that was shrinking not growing. Those days are gone, replaced by high tuition high debt, and low savings, and jobs that are Made in China. Canadians don't have time for that garbage anymore. They will be soon be gone like Ignatieff. Perhaps because, like Ignatieff, they were never really here.

I can't wait until the Conservatives start their little 'extreme makeover' of Canadian government and politics. We shall see just how stable this country really is under their "God blessed" guidance. 

These are definitely interesting times.

And it is appropriate and ironic that the discussion in the thread turned into another So.. what do we do now, despite the head between the legs bacward looking title and launch of the thread.

I think this is great news. The Libs were never gonna side with us anyway. Now the Tories have no excuses. Canada will be so sick of the Tories in another 4 years. Our job will be to act professionally as the Official Opposition and build towards the next election. There were many seats that we lost by small margins and with more of the Lib vote we could have won.

Cheer Up Folks!

The liberals were effective in opposition with their rat pack tactics during the late 80s and early 90s.  Something along those lines is now required of the new official opposition.  The NDP success can be attributed to several things.  Aside from having many dedicated and otherwise thoughtful and sincere shoulders applied to the wheel, the party itself was at least able to present to the public a facade of difference from the other two opponents.  A debatable point of contention here I'm sure.  The years ahead will undoubtedly be a tough slog against a government that brooks no compromise or reason, but for those who bring their honestly held leftist political leanings toward the center out of a desperate sense of hope, now would also be the time to begin digging in, to renew in the face of the oncoming storm a non-negotiable set of core values so that come four years down the road, when the public is once again called upon to take stock of their circumstances, instead of a facade they will be looking at something markedly different and refreshing, something of substance and depth.  The right can flatter themselves to their heart's content in the meantime, oblivious to the fact that every one of their actions going forward will render them ever the more despicable in the eyes of the 60 percent who voted against them.  For the left, now is not the time to lose ones nerve, when considering that the conservatives are set to return to their agenda in full force.  The situation is excellent because they've been provided with just enough rope.

.

As I said earlier, the NDP has to prevent another vote splitting disaster as occured on May 2nd. The best way to do this is to occupy the center ground, if only as a temporary tactical move. This will probably not be too much of a challenge, as the Conservatives will be so far to the right that any point on the spectrum left of them will be comfortable for most Canadians. Once ensconced in the center, the NDP can shift positions for tactical reasons as required, closing the entrance door on the Liberals as they make their inevitable attempt to reoccupy the center.  The Liberals have to be killed off without mercy, and their survivors scattered to the left and right. It sounds harsh, but that is the only way to prevent the NDP from falling back to it's traditional "third party" status. 

Ontario is fucked, Toronto is fucked. I live in hell and it will stay that way for the next 4 years. This is what living with abuse and bullying looks like, "my friends".

Malcolm wrote:

Pundit's Guide will be collating a list of constituencies where the "strategic" voting fraud artists recommended voting Liberal - and helped deliver the seats to the Conservatives.

If you weren't in Saskatchewan, Malcolm, I'd suggest we both go down to NOW's offices, and hurl Alice Klein into Lake Ontario.

Slumberjack wrote:

The liberals were effective in opposition with their rat pack tactics during the late 80s and early 90s.  Something along those lines is now required of the new official opposition.  The NDP success can be attributed to several things.  Aside from having many dedicated and otherwise thoughtful and sincere shoulders applied to the wheel, the party itself was at least able to present to the public a facade of difference from the other two opponents.  A debatable point of contention here I'm sure.  The years ahead will undoubtedly be a tough slog against a government that brooks no compromise or reason, but for those who bring their honestly held leftist political leanings toward the center out of a desperate sense of hope, now would also be the time to begin digging in, to renew in the face of the oncoming storm a non-negotiable set of core values so that come four years down the road, when the public is once again called upon to take stock of their circumstances, instead of a facade they will be looking at something markedly different and refreshing, something of substance and depth.  The right can flatter themselves to their heart's content in the meantime, oblivious to the fact that every one of their actions going forward will render them ever the more despicable in the eyes of the 60 percent who voted against them.  For the left, now is not the time to lose ones nerve, when considering that the conservatives are set to return to their agenda in full force.  The situation is excellent because they've been provided with just enough rope.

We have a much larger opposition than the Liberals in 1984-1988 and somewhat larger than that in 1988-1993, and for that reason should be even more effective.

It was the prospect of an NDP government that caused the Blue Liberals to vote Tory.

It was a strategic vote against the NDP.

I told one of my friends it was looking like an NDP government was possible and he went out to vote for the first time in his life.

He said he was voting out of fear.

He was yelling at everyone he could to vote Conservative.

Personally, I was not afraid of an NDP government and I was actually quite sanguine about it. Socialism simply would not be allowed in Canada. An NDP government would not be much different than the Liberals.

I also knew that voting Tory would send an NDP member to the HoC, as otherwise I would probably have gone Liberal. And B-EY went NDP.

If they don't get exactly what they want, Quebec will leave the NDP and the NDP will be crushed. Quebec will drop you like a hot potato if you are not serving their interests. All the time.

Eventually, Canada will get tired of the Conservatives. They will need a party to replace them. A strongly federalist and market-oriented party people can vote for.

And that party will be the Liberals.

The reforms in the Senate will not likely be in my taste.  But the Reform party policy of a triple e senate is not likely.  I cannot imagine that Ontario, Quebec will ever agree to equal anything that does that reflect the fact that they hold more than 50% of the population. No equal senate.

janfromthebruce wrote:

I hope the liberal backroom "strategic voting sites" take a good hard look at themselves and "take responsibility" for their Conservative majority results.

Are you kidding?

We're just too stubborn, partisan or whatever to see the truth.

Their answers fit all circumstances.

Erase the Liberal Party from the map last night and we'd still have a Conservative majority.  Pretty simplistic to assume the "60%" of people who didn't vote for the Conservatives would automatically do the same if given two choices between the centre-right and centre-left.

Sean in Ottawa - While I agree with much of what you have said, I don't think you've taken a close look at which Liberal MPs were re-elected. Many are from the rightwing of the party.

There is not that many big names left in liberal party so it is hard to tell. Rae is not a progressive but he likes to tell himself he is. He might even believe it. Justin I believe is a lefty. His dad used to be a dipper once upon a time. Dominic Leblanc I don't really know, but he appears to be to open to the possiblity of a merger. Remember that if merger talks happen, even if it some type of temperary merger happens I expect the Scott Brisons to flee to harper.

Of course if the liberal leadership race invovles such a discussion and the Liberals rejected it could be the final nail in the liberal coffin.

I say get rid of the Senate. We never needed it.

We commoners can decide things for ourselves without the help of the aristocracy.

@knownothing:

Your comment is right on!

gyor wrote:

There is not that many big names left in liberal party so it is hard to tell. Rae is not a progressive but he likes to tell himself he is. He might even believe it. Justin I believe is a lefty. His dad used to be a dipper once upon a time. Dominic Leblanc I don't really know, but he appears to be to open to the possiblity of a merger. Remember that if merger talks happen, even if it some type of temperary merger happens I expect the Scott Brisons to flee to harper. Of course if the liberal leadership race invovles such a discussion and the Liberals rejected it could be the final nail in the liberal coffin.

We have to remember that the Alliance and PC's were only merged through dirty tricks i.e. McKay going back on his promise not to merge.

Would someone in the Liberals be that two-faced?  And if there was such a quisling, would the NDP want to deal with them?

Merging on the left may just be a case of the Liberals gradually withering away.

adma wrote:

a vestigial fear of underprepared incompetence that led to voters' cold feet...

well put. 4 years in opposition should help with this.