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Posted on 01/23/2006 8:03:44 AM PST by GreenLanternCorps
If JimRob, etc. approve this is the Live Thread for the Canadian General Election, on January 23rd, 2005.
We have a while to go before the returns start coming in, but I thought the thread needed to get up and running.
Very early, I thought I heard she was leading by 10 votes.
Ping-a-ling.
Wonderful news. Just came from the 24 Thread, where Jack Bauer just kicked a terrorist butt. Glad to see you Canadians kicking some Labour butt.
C 96
L 87
BQ 40
N 20
I 1
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The CBC is saying the BQ is losing a lot of seats (presumably to CPC or maybe Libs), NDP is holding steady!
Libs are gaining. ARGH!
Martin is trailing LOL
C 99
L 84
BQ 41
N 20
I 1
FYI -- this AP story just crossed my desk with an extra note ahead of it (which I'm including for completion's sake)...
BC-Canada-Election 4thLd-Writethru 01-23 1065
BC-Canada-Election, 4th Ld-Writethru,1078
Canadians vote, dramatic change in political landscape ahead
Eds: AMs. LEADS with 5 grafs to UPDATE with Liberals holding small, early lead in far eastern Canada, polls closing but no early results in central provinces. Pickup 5th pvs, `Many Canadians ...';
Elections Canada, the federal agency overseeing the voting, has advised media of a law that forbids reporting election results or opinion surveys until the polls are closed nationwide at 10 p.m. EST. The Associated Press sends its news to other news organizations and does not distribute directly to readers within Canada. The AP plans to report on election results and surveys as polls close in each time zone and does not believe its reports fall within the scope of the law.
AP Photo FNG104
AP Graphic CANADA ELN RESULTS
By BETH DUFF-BROWN
Associated Press Writer
OTTAWA (AP) -- Canadians voted Monday in an election that could
dramatically change the country's political landscape, choosing
between a ruling Liberal Party weakened by political scandal and
challenging Conservatives who would likely push Canada to the right
and improve ties with the U.S.
Most pre-election polls forecast an end to 13 years of Liberal
Party rule and a victory for Conservative Leader Stephen Harper,
whose ideology runs along the same lines of many U.S. Republicans.
Even if Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin, 67, does eke out a
win, he'll likely head a minority government that will find it very
difficult to get things done in the House of Commons.
The Liberals took an early edge in the eastern provinces of Nova
Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, winning 19
seats to 10 for the Conservatives -- three more than in the last
elections -- and three for the New Democratic Party.
However, the lead was not expected to hold once results are
tabulated in more populated central provinces where polls closed at
9:30 EST.
Many Canadians have grown weary of the broken promises and
corruption scandals under the Liberal Party and appeared willing to
give Harper the benefit of doubt, despite fears the 46-year-old
economist is too extreme in his views opposing abortion and gay
marriage.
"Today will be a great day. Western Canada is finally going to
get some representation," said Don Smythe, after casting his
ballot for the Conservatives in Calgary, Alberta, Harper's
constituency. "I think Canada has finally realized that it's time
for a change and Stephen Harper and the Conservatives are the ones
to do it."
Harper has pledged to cut the red tape in social welfare
programs, lower the national sales tax from 7 percent to 5 percent
and grant more autonomy and federal funding to Canada's 13
provinces and territories.
He also wants to improve relations between Canada and the United
States, which comprise the world's largest trading bloc and conduct
$1.5 billion in business daily.
The Liberals have angered Washington in recent years, condemning
the war in Iraq, refusing to join the continental anti-ballistic
missile plan and criticizing President Bush for rejecting the Kyoto
Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions and enacting punitive Canadian
lumber tariffs.
Harper has said he would reconsider the missile defense scheme,
move beyond the Kyoto debate by establishing different
environmental controls and tone down the "war of words" over
lumber.
He also wants to spend more on the Canadian military, expand its
peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan and Haiti and tighten security
along the border with the United States in an effort to prevent
terrorists and guns from crossing the frontier.
Martin, 67, has trumpeted eight consecutive budget surpluses and
sought to paint Harper as a right-winger posing as a moderate to
woo mainstream voters. The prime minister also has promised to
lower income taxes, implement a national child care program and ban
handguns.
He claims Harper supports the war in Iraq, which most Canadians
oppose, and would try to outlaw abortion and overturn gay marriage.
Harper denies those claims and said Sunday that Martin had
failed to swing voters against him.
"Canadians can disagree, but it takes a lot to get Canadians to
intensely hate something or hate somebody. And it usually involves
hockey," Harper quipped.
The country's 22.7 million registered voters headed to 60,000
polling stations amid unseasonably mild winter weather. Turnout was
expected to be better than the June 2004 election, when 60 percent
of the registered voters cast a ballot, the lowest number since
1898.
William Azaroff, 35, voted for the left-of-center New Democratic
Party but conceded a Conservative government was likely to win.
"I think it's a shame," said the business manager from
Vancouver, British Columbia. "I think the last government was
actually quite effective for Canadians. I think a Conservative
government is just a backlash against certain corruption and the
sense of entitlement."
Martin's government and the 308-member House of Commons were
dissolved in November after New Democrats defected from the
governing coalition to support the Conservatives in a no-confidence
vote amid a corruption scandal involving the misuse of funds for a
national unity program in Quebec.
An investigation absolved the prime minister of wrongdoing but
accused senior Liberals of taking kickbacks and misspending tens of
millions of dollars in public funds.
Just as campaigning hit full swing over the Christmas holidays,
the Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced they were investigating
a possible leak by Liberal government officials that appeared to
have influenced the stock market.
When the 38th Parliament was dissolved, the Liberals had 133
seats, the Conservatives had 98, the Quebec separatist party Bloc
Quebecois had 53 and the New Democrats had 18. There also were four
Independents and two vacancies.
Laureen Browne, a longtime Liberal supporter from Calgary who
hasn't missed an election in 40 years, worries a Harper government
would kowtow to U.S. interests.
"If the Conservatives win, we may as well become another U.S.
state and let George Bush make decisions for us," she said. "If I
don't vote, then I can't complain; and if the predictions are
right, I will be complaining the loudest."
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
APTV-01-23-06 2200EST
Are you kidding me??
Are you really a Quebecois? Or are you just jerking our Torie chain?? :o)
Is Martin Behind in his home area??
Martin is losing to a Bloquer, with only 2 polls in.
Am I right that Martin is behind?
C 100
L 82
BQ 42
N 20
I 1
Martin himself trailing the Bloc Quebecois!!!!
paul martin down by 3 votes in his riding. it won't last, but wouldn't it be grand???
Canada's 'blue' / 'red' and our 'blue' / 'red' have me confused. LOL!
Steven Harper will take a minority government.
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