New Canadian Political Landscape?

Very few posts from me lately, but my mind is aflutter with the news that I heard this morning from someone with a Blackberry at the Züri Flughafen while waiting to meet my Mom for her Swiss visit, so I thought the best way to get that out is a blog post (before reading any analysis from the media).

To answer the question I posted in my blog title: definitely. I'm a bit apprehensive about it, but we'll see what happens. First, a quick recap of the results I was informed of (might need to make edits if this turns out to be untrue, or changes):

• Conservative majority (by 11 seats, which is quite big considering previous results)
• Liberals are dead. With even Ignatieff losing his seat.
• The BQ are also decimated, with Gilles Duceppe losing his seat.
• The NDP go huge and win 102 (!) seats to become official opposition
• Green Party earn a spot at the next debates...uhhh...I mean a seat in the House with Elizabeth May victorious in BC

So what does it all mean? Well, my first reaction is that it seems that Canadians don't seem too worried about how politics are conducted if they gave Mr. Harper a majority. But I've always said that many parties in the past probably did some (although not nearly all) of the same things that the Conservatives have, but because of increased media coverage and the fact that the government was a minority, the voting public heard more about it. Is that a good thing? Perhaps it is. But we'll see if the behaviour changes at all because of the transition from minority to majority.

I'm personally a bit worried because I know many of my personal views and values are not similar to those of small "c" conservative values. As someone who studies science and wants to return to Canada to work in science I fear that the government will continue to underfund and stifle science and education in Canada. I am also worried that other conservative values such as valuing business and development over the environment in most cases (not that is shouldn't be encouraged in some) will continue or even expand. I know many would have us believe that there has been a "secret agenda" and that now we are doomed as a country. But, hopefully that is all fear-mongering and that there will be some balance and thought put into new initiatives, not just dogma. We'll see...and hopefully our international reputation will improve.

Personally I'm also happy that a close friend of mine will, hopefully, remain gainfully employed because of this majority (and perhaps can bring some perspective to issues that some others may not have). I'm also very interested to see now that the country (although I haven't heard anything about percentages of votes (i.e. popular vote %) or if the huge upswing in NDP support split ridings and led to more Conservative support) has given Mr. Harper his majority if we will see some of his promises finally be enacted. Things like Senate reformation, changing the way political parties are funded and improving the accountability of the government (or maybe even Michael Chong, if he was elected again, can re-introduce a motion to encourage change in QP). Or if like the long-list of others before him he simply will not follow up on his promises...

Some other quick thoughts:

• I'm not sure if Stephen Harper is more happy about the majority or about the absolute destruction of the Liberal party. I'm thinking it might be 50/50.
• This is yet another indication that micro-electioneering and negative advertising work. If you think they don't, you aren't "normal" or like me, are an idealist.
• Michael Ignatieff...that's rough. I think he will probably be unfairly blamed for a lot of this loss (The Liberals have been in a decline freefall since Chrétien left). Maybe next time they will talk a bit more about policy? I also think they were punished for supporting the Conservatives too many times when the government was sitting and then trying to run a campaign on the fact that they were so different.
• With Gilles Duceppe also losing his seat I think the two best federal leaders didn't win their own ridings. Interesting.
• Quebec doesn't seem to be about separation first and anything else second if the Bloc was so thoroughly trounced. Which could be good for the country of Canada.
• Very interested to see voter turnout and percentage of popular vote numbers.
• Finally, the Green party won a seat. What took so long Canada?
• NDP! Amazing results for them and I really like them as the party that makes up the official opposition, because they truly provide a very different perspective on many issues. Hopefully there can be some work between the parties.

Whew. I feel better getting this out on "paper". Thoughts?