Roger Steele

I think it is great that the NDP have quashed the Bloc in Quebec, my only reservation is that Quebec has little representation in the governing party. While they are no longer represented by separatists, what have they really gained? I hope that the Conservatives continue along the line that they were forced to follow during the coalition government. During a global recession they lowered the GST by 2% and still managed to improve Canada's economy to the point where we are envied by our world trade partners. They have begun to upgrade our Armed Forces which have been ignored and left to deteriorate for far too many years. I was embarrassed when we first deployed our forces to the middle east with the wrong colored gear and they had to hitch rides with other countries because our large transports were in no condition to take them. I am proud of the job our Armed Forces have done around the world despite the antiquated equipment that they are provided. As several have already stated in this thread, it is not the revenues coming in that make a good government it is how that money is spent that will be remembered. While I am happy that the Conservatives have a majority I do not agree with Privatized Health Care. Over the past 5 1/2 years I have had dozens of trips to hospitals and specialists. One of the best things Canada has for it's citizens is our Public Healthcare System. The last thing we want to do is let our system become like that in the US. The only people that would benefit from a privatized system are the owners of the clinics and some of the doctors all at the expense of the sick and dieing. Due to illness I will not see what transpires over the next 5 years, I can only hope that Canada will still be one of the best places in the world to live.

I agree the snafu Deef pulled with the CF105 Avro Arrow may have been the biggest hit this country and perhaps the world ever experienced in aeronautical advancement, but it was likely influenced greatly by the US. I feel the most long term damage that was done to this country was cause by Trudeau and his Liberals. Trudeau and his cohorts raped and pillaged the country to cater to their rich friends and supporters in the east and after his 13 year spending spree we were in a severe depression with a huge dept, unemployment was very high as were mortgage rates and it has taken many years to recover. Yet to many Canadians Trudeau is considered the best Prime Minister we have had.

I hope nostalgia does not overtake voter intelligence. Personally when I see the word Trudeau I see red and my BP goes up and it isn't Liberal red. If or when Justin takes over the Liberal Party I hope he has more respect for Canada than his father had.

I stand corrected. It's getting late I better quit while I'm behind. (unlike Ignatieff I know when to call it quits)lol

The Liberals were down to 40 seats in 84 and bounced back to 177 seats two terms later, I just don't see them coming back like that this time.

For such an intelligent individual, he sure doesn't catch on very fast. Is it not obvious that he is not wanted?

Quite true. Sometimes you just have to keep a select minority happy

The Liberals need to find a strong leader who is humble enough to lose an election or two and is strong enough to reinvent the party. In 1984 after Trudeau had ground Canada into the dirt the Liberals only managed to attain 40 seats. Two elections later they were elected into a majority with 177 seats. I don't know if they can bounce back that fast this time as the majority of the Canadian electorate, with the advent of the internet and social networking, are much better educated but I'm sure they will come back. The Liberal party is like dandelions, just when you think you have them eliminated they sprout up all over the place!

I agree completely, the party in power will not stay in power for more than one term if they do not satisfy the majority of the Canadian voters. The majority of my frustration with our political system still simmers from the Trudeau and Cretien governments when western Canada did not exist accept as a source of income with which to buy enough eastern votes to win the next election. Trudeau's government called it a "redistribution of revenue". I'm not convinced the Liberals under Ignatieff would not have tried something similar had they been elected into power. I am very happy with the way this election turned out. I just don't kid myself into thinking the Opposition party has much power. Canada has gained most of it's best policies and gained some of it's most valuable programs during minority Governments when the second and third ranked parties truly did hold some power and the government of Canada truly did have to rule with the best interests of Canada in mind. We would not have Canadian Medicare if not for a minority government and I'm not sure this past Harper led coalition would have done such a good job of pulling us out of this recession if they would have had a majority instead! From some of the statements I have read I expect the majority of people on this forum are a lot younger than I am. These are just the ramblings of an old man who has too many opinions about the past Canadian governments LOL The fact is this current government has a high likely hood of outliving me! I feel my children and grandchildren are in good hands for at least the next few years

This sounds like you are reading a quote from a dictionary. Hold their feet to the fire LOL. The official opposition in Canada, in a majority Government situation, has no power accept the power of complaint. All members of each party are expected to vote the party line on all issues, ignoring the wishes of the constituents they represent. When we vote in an MP we hope they represent the majority of the values of the people in our electoral region. In Canada there are no true checks and balances in the Government. Unlike the US who has an elected Senate that have a veto on all bills, an elected house of representatives who hold a veto and an elected leader, the president, who also has a veto. In Canada we vote in a party who have appointed a leader and in a majority situation the country is at their mercy for the duration. While our Senate has the power to veto a bill that power is seldom exercised. Our Senate is little more than a retirement home for people who have served their party well in the past. In effect we have an elected dictatorship so we must be very sure of the people we elect.

With the majority of the Old Boys Club having lost their seats, who will be the new leader of the Federal Liberals, 39 year old Justin Trudeau?

I believe it will be very difficult to successfully represent Quebec and the rest of Canada at the same time. Quebec's needs and wants tend to be the polar opposite of the rest of Canada. However by voting for the NDP, perhaps the majority of Quebec voters are stating that they now want to be part of Canada, instead of having their own individuality? The NDP are facing a steep learning curve with all their new MPs in Quebec and across Canada.

One of the interviewers commented that the reason the NDP did so good in Quebec was because they dumped a lot of money into TV commercials. He specifically pointed out one with a couple gerbils running in circles and another with dogs running in circles.

Totally agree. Registering a gun does not stop the bullet from coming out if it is pointed at the wrong target!

I fear you are correct, but that will likely happen on US soil and still does not require our troops to be overseas any longer than necessary.

Well said!! Let's hope with the death of Osama Bin Ladin we will be able to accelerate the withdrawal of our troops. The war on terrorism is officially over. Bring our brave soldiers home!

I'm not sure how old you are but you obviously do not remember the Trudeau era. No politician in the past 100 years has patronized the rich easterners more than the Trudeau Liberals. They went so far as to introduce the National Energy Program (also known as the true Carbon Tax or the Tax on Alberta) so he could continue to buy votes in Eastern Canada while dragging Canada into a terrible recession. In my opinion Ignatieff was a Trudeau clone that the Liberals hoped would get them the glory of old. However most Canadians are better educated today than they were in the Trudeau Mania days and believe they know what is good for Canada.

I never liked Ignatieff from the first time I heard him on TV. Just now I had to switch to a US channel I just couldn't listen to him planting one more tree! GAG me with a spoon already!!!!! Go back to the US and crawl back under the rock the desperate Liberals found you under! I apologize to any Liberals whose feelings I just hurt. I just can't stand the guy. Obviously neither could his constituents.

It is good to see the Bloc melt down. I think it is a combination of 2 things. #1They have outlived their usefulness. They got their message across and were no longer needed. #2 The older separatists are dieing off and a new younger voter wants to have real representation in Ottawa. That said I think Jack is going to have a hard time giving honest representation to both his Quebec supporters and the rest of Canada. While Quebec has support in one of the traditional parties they still have very weak support in the ruling party. This could turn out to be a new historical low for the Liberals. In '84 they only got 40 seats, I don't see them getting that many tonight At last Ignatieff is getting the message!

You are so right. My bad! I am so happy to have been proven wrong. A majority Government for Canada. Now Harper needs to continue to lead us out of this global recession. My hat is off to Jack Layton and the NDP but I think he will have his hands full trying to represent all of those people in Quebec at the same time as the rest of his supporters in the other provinces. Ignatieff is getting the message load and clear. He may not even get elected back into parliament. Now he can go back to the US were he is happy and maybe even wanted!! It has been fun communicating with all of you. There have been a lot of very good conversations and comments made in all of the threads in these forums.

It is great for Canada to have a stable majority Government. I feel sorry for the people of Quebec. When I was a teenager they had some representation in Ottawa with the Liberals and Trudeau used to spend a lot of money there to keep them happy. They have put a lot of support behind the second place party. Jack will have to tap dance very carefully to try to keep his support in Quebec while still satisfying the remainder of his supporters who typically want something totally different! How about the Liberals and Bloc who may both be looking for new leaders tomorrow as their leaders look like they may not even get elected!!! Ignatieff couldn't even get support in his own riding !!!! I am glad I have been proven wrong. A majority Government

I'm curious to see the % of Canadians that show up to make their vote count this year. In our small town in Alberta the polls were busy all day. Far better turnout than in years gone by. Is this happening across Canada?

On my Satellite system all the eastern networks are "not available for viewing in your area" until after the polls close in our time zone. In the 60s through the 80s most elections were over and decided before the polls closed in Winnipeg. Damn is good times have changed.

Well the polls close here in Alberta in 15 minutes and we'll be able to see what is happening in the formerly Liberal Eastern Canada. I have stated in other threads and see it mentioned here many times and many ways. The Old Boy Liberal Party is in serious trouble. They have not kept up with the changing times. They still have too many of the Cretien/Trudeau era members and ideas. That in combination with a leader who suffers from foot in mouth disease may well put the Liberal Party in a position they have never before seen in the history of Canada. Also-rans. It took the revolution of the Alliance Party to reshape the Conservative Party of Canada, this may well be the election that makes the LPC wake up and realize that they need to evolve or dissolve. As I stated when I started this thread. Good luck to my fellow Canadians. I fear a minority Gov't which is not what we need at this time. Only time will prove me right or wrong. I hope I am wrong and we come out of this election in good shape and we continue to be seen as strong leaders of the modern world.

There is little doubt that the F35s will cost more than the original quote. I've never seen a similar program come in under budget! I just have one thing to say. When are we going to quit arguing and get our forces some new equipment to take into battle? We have some of the best trained forces in the world but they are constantly being sent into combat situations with antiquated equipment or the wrong colored clothing on borrowed rides. We either need to spend some money to equip our armed forces properly or fold our tents and admit that we are at the mercy of our neighbors to the south.