Canadian General Election, Live Thread (UPDATE: Conservatives Win!)

Elections Canada ^ | N/A

[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.

[conservative in nyc]

GASPÉSIE-ÎLES-DE-LA-MADELEINE 2004:

Bloc - 55.6%
Liberal - 32.6%
Conservative - 6.8%
NDP - 2.7%
Green - 2.1%

Just WOW!

[Squawk 8888]

These numbers indicate modest gains for the Conservatives. We'll know better in about half an hour.

[Free Dominoes]

10 minutes and then the sh*t blizzard!

[GiveEmDubya]

If the CPC is doing well there, there could be a lot of surprises in la belle province tonight.

[goldstategop]

Yep. The Conservatives have broken through in French Canada. They are no longer just a Western based English party anymore.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[HunterAmor]

is this all dissatisfaction with the liberals? what proportion might be tactical, knowing that the bloc is likely to join with the conservatives to form a govt.?

[skaterboy]

I guess the frenchies might be good for something after all

[fanfan]

Thanks.

:-D

[conservative in nyc]

GASPÉSIE-ÎLES-DE-LA-MADELEINE is very promising, even if the Tories lose by 10%. Look at the 2004 numbers:

Bloc - 55.6%
Liberal - 32.6%
Conservative - 6.8%
NDP - 2.7%
Green - 2.1%

Now, the Tories are fighting neck and neck with the Bloc.

WOW!

[Free Dominoes]

Actually i was hoping they would separate...

[Squawk 8888]

The "magic number" is 155 seats, but if they get more than ~120 then they can form a government with support from other parties. If the total for the Liberals and NDP is greater than 155 (unlikely) then we lose.

[Heatseeker]

Here is the DemocraticSpace page for Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine.

Right now I'm wondering if some FReepers might be rethinking their dislike of French-speakers. ;)

[BunnySlippers]

Thank you. I guess CSPAN will have figures in a moment too. Keep my fingers crossed!

[conservative in nyc]

They're very early results (maybe from the advance polls). But they're promising, so far. Let's hope the trend continues.

[longtermmemmory]

Thanks I am a bit lost with the acronyms.

That helps.

[Squawk 8888]

This is the real deal. Fewer than half the voters there are separatist and the Libs in the past had them convinced that they were the only federalist party in Québec. The CPC has effectively taken the federalist vote away from the Liberals.

[goldstategop]

This portends a good night for the Conservatives in Quebec. They are a competitive force, something they weren't in 2004. The Liberals don't even have a pulse in the province.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[Papaduke]

a couple moments til coverage starts

[conservative in nyc]

My Canadian Elections Primer