Monday's election

[jaala]

Well, I voted. If you are Canadian: did you?

Yeah, I'm disappointed that the Conservatives are the ruling party, but I'm counting on the other parties to keep their minority government on a short leash. And at least it'll give the Liberals some time to sort themselves out in order to be stronger for the next election. (Sort themselves out in terms of leadership and intra-party divisions, I mean. The other parties' campaigns consistently failed to mention that the Gomery report exonerated Martin and most of the people currently in the Liberal party.)

I was hoping for a while that the Liberals would win, but once it seemed inevitable they wouldn't I shifted my focus to hoping that the NDP would gain enough seats to wield some influence. Though they didn't quite manage the balance of power, they still had their best showing since Ed Broadbent's days--and that's pretty damn good. Still, it's depressing to hear people like The Focus On the Family crowing about how Harper's government will "fix" Canada's positions on gay marriage, abortion, drugs and crime. And I'm already sick of all this BS about tax cuts.

Comments

[gridlockjoe.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, Lib+NDP isn't enough for a majority in the House. With Duceppe saying the BQ won't be obstructionist for the sake of being obstructionist, I think the Cons will get a lot of their economic agenda through. The social agenda, on the other hand, might face a more unified opposition as the BQ is more socially liberal.

The BQ holds the balance of power. This will be an interesting parliament. Do you think it'll last through the next budget?

[(Anonymous)]

I voted! I got the run around and was told to go to one polling station and then ended up having to come back to another one ( which just happened to be a 2 minute walk from where I had been working all day).

I was rather disappointed as well, but the only positive thing I can say about the whole thing is that thank God it was a minority. Stephen Harper scares me.

I wonder who the Liberal party will appoint the new leader of the opposition, with Martin stepping down? Hopefully someone who can work things and bring them around for the next time around.

I always laugh when political parties thrive on promising us tax cuts! Cutting taxes doesn't make sense to me with the costs of everything else rising! Promises, promises! Ugh!

[jaala]

I always laugh when political parties thrive on promising us tax cuts! Cutting taxes doesn't make sense to me with the costs of everything else rising!

Unless, of course, you don't place high priority on funding social programs and think the disadvantaged should fend for themselves. Personally, I don't take that position at all.

[forget-my-fate.livejournal.com]

I voted. I love voting. And I get mad when other people don't vote. If only every eligible voter in Canada had voted on Monday, I wonder if we'd be in the same situation with Harper and the minority gov't.... but what a relief that it's only a minority.

[jaala]

If only every eligible voter in Canada had voted on Monday, I wonder if we'd be in the same situation with Harper and the minority gov't....

Yeah, one has to wonder.