Election blogging

Not only did the BQ lose seats, but their popular vote in Quebec was in the low 40's. That's the best news of the night.

Agreed, Robert. They were spanked big time. I wonder if Gilles Duceppes is history?

Thanks for this news - I hadn't really followed the BQ popular vote tonight so I was wondering how it went. I am glad Duceppe didn't get his 50 per cent -- that should pretty well eliminate the idea of another referundum, don't you think?

Maybe Duceppe is out, but for whom? There doesn't seem to be that charismatic, Bouchardian figure looming. My guess is that given all the uncertainty that this result tonight gives us, he hangs on to see if there's another election later this year or early next. What I don't see is how things get better for the BQ short term. They couldn't have possibly had better political circumstances than this election, and they went backwards. They'll try to focus on getting the PQ re-elected, because when it comes down to it, they need that provincial power base to have any hope of reaching their ultimate aim. Duceppe can act as a placeholder until they get their provincial house in order.

Not only did the BQ lose seats, but their popular vote in Quebec was in the low 40's. That's the best news of the night.

Perhaps. I'd argue that the best news of the night was the number of eligible Canadians who turned out to exercise their franchise, regardless of the result.

Voting is the cornerstone of civic responsibility, and though they didn't vote CPC in the numbers I'd hoped, Canadians voted.

It's better than the alternative, that's for sure.

If only he had let some of that come out during the campaign, his fortunes might have been better.

The campaign? Hell, We never saw this when he was PM. Funny what the crown does to those who wear it.

Fair enough, Damian. It looks like turnout will be up about 4 percent, and that's all to the good.

I'd argue that the best news of the night was the number of eligible Canadians who turned out to exercise their franchise, regardless of the result.

Good point, Damian. Despite the doom and gloom forecasts due to the winter election, Canadians turned out to vote. That is good news. In fact in my community is was almost white out conditions, yet the polls were busy.

So I gotta ask: what the heck is wrong with that other 36 per cent of voting age Canadians that they can't get their asses to a polling station? How busy can you folks be? Honestly. Just bugs me.

Cathie - Unless PQ leader Andre Boisclair succeeds in bringing an reinvigorated approach to referendums at the provincial level (and I doubt that), the idea of a referendum is most likely dead for the foreseeable. Who knows, at some point we may look back on this election as the beginning of the end of the Bloc Quebecois as a political force.

To which I say: "Hooray!"

This will not be the end of the BQ, in fact with a Tory minority relying on thier support, they will be more powerful than ever. First on the agenda is going to be decentralization of government power, a cause near and dear to the BQ (and Western separatists) as it means more power for the provinces. This key to the neo-con "make government small enough to drown in the bathtub" agenda.
I think the gains for the NDP bode badly for the progressive movement in the long run, as it could mean a bigger, more consequential split of the non-conservative vote as the Liberals move more to the right and the NDP move more to the center. More Liberals may flock to the NDP, but a three way split of votes right now favours the conservatives, just as the split between the Progressive Conservatives and Reform party used to favour the Liberals.

Of course when the radical neanderthals that Harper has kept chained up in the basement during the campaign start sounding off and demanding cabinet posts, voters are going to be appalled and as long as the Liberals pick a decent leader who can appeal to the west (ie: Not Belinda Stronach or Jean LaPierre)they will form the next government in probably about October '08

Why the NDP's gain is Canada's loss
http://kevinswoodshed.blogspot.com/2006/01/post-election-part-1-why-ndps-win-is.html

Here are the top 5 reasons this was a great election:
5) BQ vote % and seats down.
4) Belinda wins her seat.
3) Western Cons pass the hat around, raise $10K to unseat Brison, but he still wins.
2) Turns out that strategic voting is a knife that's sharp on both sides.
1) Paul Martin resigns.

The one reason this is a crappy election:
124 Con + 29 NDP != 155

That seriously sucks.

Buzz:

124 + 29 = 153, not 155.

I don't think you guys are giving Jack Layton enough credit, or the next generation of NDP members (like myself). If he tries to move the party too far the to centre, I think there are others in the party who will reject those ideas and he'll have to keep it more left-wing. Hell, if he was really smart he could easily form a good alliance with the BQ on several topics/ideologies.

Scotian, that's what the ! in != means. I guess that's only clear to coders.

Buzz:

Ah. I see. Sorry, I guess it *is* something a coder would recognize and the rest of us mere mortals would not...:) Thanks for the clarification.

Martin is dirty. He is desperately afraid of the CPC comming to power because he has much to answer for and much to lose! He campaigned against the CPC beyond reason or logic as a man pleading against the inevitability of exposing something!I say, let the CPC dig into matters that would otherwise be left unexposed! Let's see how Martin fends for himself after committing whatever acts he has.

Congrats to Dennis Bevington, "a profoundly decent man who will serve the people of the NWT well".
Here's a funny for y'all from T.O. :-)

New Element.A major research institution has recently announced the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element has been named "Governmentium". Governmentium (Gv) has one neutron, 25
assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called
peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Governmentium causes one reaction to take over four days to complete, when it would normally
take less than a second. Governmentium has a normal half-life of 4 years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually
increase over time, since each re-organization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed
whenever morons reach a certain quantity in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as Critical Morass.When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium- an element which radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it
has half as many peons but twice as many morons.Time to hold an electron!