Despite
Michael Moore's pleading, Canadians have put the Conservatives in to power.
CTV.ca | Stephen Harper wins Conservative minority: "Canadians granted Conservative Leader Stephen Harper a minority government Monday, putting an end to more than 12 years of Liberal rule.
Results show Conservatives won 124 seats, versus 103 for Paul Martin's Liberals.
'Tonight, friends, our great country has voted for change,' the prime minister-designate told a crowd of supporters at his home riding of Calgary Southwest."
The Captain has been following this election closely and
sums it up thus:
Stephen Harper should be sworn into office within the next two weeks, and the new era of Tory leadership will begin. Canadian voters have given Harper a rather limited mandate, a test period where they expect the Conservatives to prove that they can lead from the center-right, maintaining the economic success of the last few years while cleaning up and streamlining the excesses of the Liberal government. If successful, the voters might reward Harper and his party with a majority government down the road -- but until then, Harper will have to keep his diplomatic skills trained on the Commons.
Despite not having a majority in the Commons this is still a huge victory for Conservatives. You can tell by looking at the ousted liberal leader's reaction:
The first consequences of Canada's major political realignment came within minutes of the polls giving their final numbers as the two major party leaders gave their valedictory speeches for the 2006 election. Stephen Harper, the triumphant Tory, called on Canada's political parties to unite for the good of the country, while outgoing Prime Minister Paul Martin quit his post as party leader, avoiding an almost certain dismissal by the losing Liberals.
Bubbye Paul Marteeen. I'm sure you will be greatly missed...probably...by someone...somewhere. Well I guess you have plenty of time to go find them now don't you?
