After 12 years of Liberal rule, Canadians say they are fed-up with corruption scandals and are now in favor of Conservative rule. Conservative leader Stephen Harper was elected to be Canada’s next prime minister in the Jan. 23 federal election.
The Conservatives won 124 of the 308 seats in the House of Commons. The Liberals received 103, the Bloc Quebecois got 51 and a single seat went to an Independent.
“It seems that ‘conservative’ nationalistic movements are occurring all over – Canada, Palestine (Hamas), Iraq, France, Germany, etc,” said Robert Duncan, Assistant Professor of Political Science. “As to what this means [for Canada]; probably less international cooperation and greater focus on domestic issues.”
Harper was unable to win a majority, but under Canada’s electoral system the Conservatives would now form a minority government. According to CNN, this will force him to find support from about 30 opposition lawmakers in order to advance measures through Parliament.
According to The Washington Post, Harper says that his party would not propose legislation to overturn abortion rights, though he will have Parliament revisit a controversial decision by Martin’s government to legalize gay marriage throughout the country.
According to The Washington Post, Harper addressed his hometown of Calgary, “To those who did not vote for us, I pledge to lead a government that will work for all of us. We will move forward together.”
Former Prime Minister Paul Martin, defeated by Harper, announced on CNN that he would remain in Parliament, but immediately step down and give up party leadership.
“I telephoned Stephen Harper and congratulated him on being chosen by the people of Canada,” Martin said to The New York Times. “We differ on many things, but we all share the belief of the potential and the promise of Canada and the desire of our country to succeed.”
Harper is a free-market economist who expressed strong support for Washington at the time of the American-led invasion of Iraq. This Conservative win is good news for U.S.-Canada relations.
“We look forward to strengthening our relations and working with the new government,” said Whitehouse spokesman Scott McClellan to CNN.
University of Toronto Political Scientist Nelson Wiseman told The Washington Post that Harper’s victory would provide “symbolic support” for the Bush administration.
“His relationship with Canada is concerned both with the American posture in the world and whether he’s got sympathizers and allies – and in all those respects the Conservative reflex, the Harper reflex, is pro-American,” said Wiseman.
When the Liberals found themselves behind in the polls late in the campaign, they began attacking Harper with television ads that portrayed him as a far-right conservative in the U.S. manner. They asked voters to “choose your Canada.”
“Harper sees the U.S. as being better than Canada; that we can learn lessons from American policies, politics and national unity, and has said we’re second class. So much for being a Canada booster,” Ron Wassink said to The Alliston Herald, a newspaper based in Ontario.
Martin promised that the Liberal Party would survive the setback caused by the Conservative victory.
Martin said to The Washington Post, “Ours will be a strong opposition. I am so proud to be a Liberal. We have a right to be proud. We will not lose faith. We will not lose hope.