… you gullible bastards. Yes GTA, you know who you are! This is all your fault!
Just kidding! People all around the world are dying simply because they asked for the privilege that Canadians (except a few poor non-resident souls *cough* *cough*) get to exercise on a regular basis. Thirty-seven days of political competition without anybody being shot would be an unthinkable miracle for many places in the world, and that we could choose a leader by consensus without bloodshed is something we can all be proud to be a part of, no matter who won.
Harper won his coveted majority fair and square, and by a healthy margin no less. He has earned four years (assuming he finally decides to follow his own election law) of our support. The many upsets in the opposition are largely irrelevant – the Conservatives may dictate Canadian law, policy, and foreign relations entirely at their own whim, and if the past is any indication, by the supreme command of Harper alone. The only question is whether, when this Session ends, whether Canadians will be able to reflect honestly upon its legacy.
While perhaps no more than points of trivia in a majority scenario, there was some interesting aftermath. Layton and the NDP given an opposition mandate that would have been unthinkable fantasy a mere week ago. The Bloc razed to ashes, and leader Gilles Duceppe resigned in defeat. No matter what one’s opinion of the separatist movement, one cannot deny the contribution of Duceppe and the Bloc to modern politics, especially the past few minority Parliaments. The Liberals being told definitively that they are out of touch with Canadians through a historically unprecedented election spanking. I still don’t quite get this one – I didn’t see any major blunder from the Liberals, so I’d love to hear some opinions on how they got so badly crushed. Though given that Ignatieff didn’t resign outright, I’m starting to get a hint at the problem (seriously, at least Dion got his seat).
And finally, no matter how wacky the Greens, one has to respect Elizabeth May for winning the first Green election.
