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Canadians voted for a sweeping change in government Monday, giving Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau a majority to end the nearly 10-year rule of Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Election returns showed Trudeau's Liberals winning a majority of the 338 seats in Parliament. With 85% of polls reporting, the Liberals either won or were leading in 185 seats. The party needed to win 170 seats for a majority government.
Trudeau, 43, the oldest son of the late prime minister Pierre, will become the second youngest prime minister in Canadian history.
The story is being carried by USA Today and just about every major news outlet. There were some economic takes on the election as well.
takyon: Results at CBC and BBC. DeSmog Canada has an analysis focusing on potential shifts in environmental and science policies:
The Liberal party has taken a strong stance on the war on science in Canada, promising to free scientists to speak publicly about their work. Trudeau has also promised to instate a Parliamentary Science Officer to ensure transparency, expertise and independence of federal scientists. This position will mirror that of the Parliamentary Budget Officer.
In addition to unmuzzling scientists, the party also wants to work collaboratively with the provinces, First Nations and other stakeholders when it comes to ocean management. This is significant in light of the Conservative government's de-funding of numerous marine science programs, including the only research being conducted into the effects of industrial pollutants on marine mammals. The Liberal party has promised to reinstate $40 million of funding for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Appalbarry on Tuesday October 20 2015, @06:21AM
I didn't vote for Trudeau, but his acceptance speech was nothing short of inspirational.
Check it out. [youtu.be]
It was about hope, and pride for our country, and about how we can, really, make this better place for everyone.
This was vote against fearmongering, and hate, and avarice, and greed, and malice.
For the first time in a decade many of us feel once again that this is a country that we want to call home.
(OK, it was pretty Obamaesque, but I'm still stoked.)
(Score: 5, Insightful) by gnuman on Tuesday October 20 2015, @06:37AM
Anyone is better than politics of the dethroned Harper. Remember the "you are either with us or with pedophiles"? That has stuck with me and why I made sure to vote.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tories-on-e-snooping-stand-with-us-or-with-the-child-pornographers/article545799/ [theglobeandmail.com]
Now we'll see if Trudeau will do as he promised.
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Liberal Party pursue political reforms which promote:
Open, democratic nominations of candidates;
Fewer “whipped” votes in Parliament and more “free” votes requiring individual MPs to assume full responsibility for their decisions;
Stronger Parliamentary control over public finances, including an annual deadline for the budget; accounting consistency among the Estimates and the Public Accounts; more clarity in voting on Estimates; a costing analysis for each government Bill; and a requirement that government borrowing plans must get Parliament’s pre-approval;
A truly independent, properly resourced Parliamentary Budget Officer;
A more effective Access-to-Information regime with stronger safeguards against political interference;
An impartial system to identify and eliminate the waste of tax-dollars on partisan advertising;
Careful limitations on secret Committee proceedings, Omnibus Bills and Prorogation to avoid their misuse for the short-term partisan convenience of the government;
Adequate funding, investigative powers and enforcement authority to ensure Elections Canada can root out electoral fraud;
Pro-active disclosure of parliamentarians’ expenses, a more transparent Board of Internal Economy and better audit rules;
A truly independent Senate not based upon partisanship or patronage;
I hope this will at least bring an end to the "Action Plan" 24/7 adverts.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by mojo chan on Tuesday October 20 2015, @07:30AM
Another major democracy rejects hard austerity. It's a shame that the UK will have to suffer for another five years before we get this chance, unless the government collapses after the EU vote.
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(Score: 2) by isostatic on Tuesday October 20 2015, @02:41PM
Another major democracy rejects hard austerity. It's a shame that the UK will have to suffer for another five years before we get this chance, unless the government collapses after the EU vote.
I blame the centrists and the left. They wanted to punish the lib dems for being a small part of the last government, and they did this by voting Tory...
I still don't hear labour pushing for a fairer voting system either, one which wouldn't allow Dave (or Jez) to get in with only 24% of the electorate, 37% of the votes, 50% of the seats, and 100% of the power.
(Score: 2) by n1 on Tuesday October 20 2015, @05:00PM
Regarding the LibDems and reform. AV was still an idiotic sham in my opinion. PR was never offered. It was a similar sham to how the US healthcare reform happened, there was at no point a single payer or NHS type option on the table to vote for or against. Different outcomes that do nothing useful, outside of the empty rhetoric both reform attempts were framed debate and illusion of progress.
(Score: 1) by purple_cobra on Tuesday October 20 2015, @07:56PM
This is something they'll have a long time to cry over once the Tories have forced through (which is seemingly what all those new Tory peers in the House of Lords were for) the boundary changes. I do, in part, blame the younger generation for not voting in larger numbers; had they done so, it is very unlikely we'd be in the situation we are now. That they *didn't* vote was pure masochism as they're the first ones to get the chop (see tuition fees, student loans, etc). The natural Tory voter is the older home-owner, with pensioners being vastly more likely to vote that way (Tories ensure pensions aren't lowered, pensioners vote Tory), though I should say that there's no evidence that they'd be worse off under any other party (though UKIP pulling up the drawbridge would kill the NHS much faster than the Tories are doing so).
But we're stuck with them for another 5 years and I shudder to think what state we'll be in by then.
(Score: 2) by gnuman on Wednesday October 21 2015, @04:48PM
Another major democracy rejects hard austerity.
I would not say that. Canadian government has little to do with "austerity" since liberals of 2000 under Chretien balanced the budget and produced surpluses for many consecutive years. It was not until the Conservative government of Harper (that was just kicked out), that rolled a 60 billion deficit - largest in Canadian history. He also expanded the government at a fastest pace than his predecessors while managing to kill science funding at same time. So no, austerity has little to do with anything here. It was more mentality of "kick the bums out" and positive message of Trudeau.
(Score: 2, Funny) by frojack on Tuesday October 20 2015, @06:37AM
(OK, it was pretty Obamaesque, but I'm still stoked.)
I sincerely hope that is not the case.
Would be ALL three North American nations were bankrupt at the same time.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by SanityCheck on Tuesday October 20 2015, @11:06AM
Hahahaha, very funny :)
Now for the dick part: there are 23 [wikipedia.org] countries in North America, including always forgotten Greenland. Oh Greenland, so close but yet so far.
(Score: 0, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 20 2015, @11:58AM
The bigger dick part: Only two really matter; one more than the other (hint, hint: USA). The other 21 are 3rd world toilets full of brown people. 20 of them wouldn't make a dent in the world economy if they ALL disappeared. Mexico is lucky enough to provide slave labor the their neighboring US while also supplying illegal drugs for the US (and expanding that market to Europe). And Greenland? Don't make me laugh. There are what, 55 thousand people on an icy, barren wasteland that happens to be the 12th largest country by land mass in the world. There are tiny island nations and city-states that are more populated and productive.
So that brings us back to only 3 North American countries.
(Score: 5, Informative) by dry on Tuesday October 20 2015, @02:43PM
Well in the last 20 years, the Liberals balanced the budget 8 times and the Conservatives perhaps twice, depending on this year where the budget is projected to be balanced. The Conservatives also ran the largest deficit in the history of Canada while chanting "we're conservative, we know how to be fiscally sound"
Just like households do have to borrow money for things like mortgages, sometimes governments do as well and interest rates are currently low.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Tuesday October 20 2015, @05:51PM
depending on this year where the budget is projected to be balanced.
Don't get too used to that.
Trudeau has already indicated he plans on running C$25 billion ($19 billion) in deficits over three years to stimulate the economy with infrastructure spending, while increasing taxes on top earners and cutting them for the middle class.
Third link in TFS.
Don't know if C$25 Billion is a significant part of the Canadian Budget or not, but if the wiki page [wikipedia.org] is to be believed C$25 is about 10 percent. That is an enormous deficit to run up in one year.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by dry on Wednesday October 21 2015, @01:37AM
At least he was upfront about it unlike the Conservatives who first came to power bitching about the Liberals paying down the debt rather then immediately cutting taxes, cut taxes and proceeded to rack up a C$55 Billion deficit (and C$33.3Billion the next year ). The key is to pay down the debt when the country is not in recession.
I'm not a Liberal supporter but given the choice between them and the Fascists, I'd rather have them.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Tuesday October 20 2015, @10:43AM
Was hoping for Liberal minority so they'd have to cozy up with the NDP to get real things done: except for the fear they might cozy up to the Cons...
When the numbers went full into majority, I went to bed.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. I have always been here. ---Gaaark 2.0 --
(Score: 2) by Vanderhoth on Tuesday October 20 2015, @11:10AM
^ This ^
That was exactly what I was hoping for. I don't like any of the leaders, but Harper the least. Unfortunately now that there's a Liberal majority for the next 4 years I think we'll be just as bad off. Justin voted in favor of bill C-51 which is a bill for increased "cyber security" so I'm pretty sure that's still going through. I don't know where he stands on the TPP, but I really hope he kills that at the very least.
It's much easier for those types of things to be done when it's a minority government and parties have to work together to keep up appearances rather than when there's a majority and the ruling party just says, "Fuck it. We have four years, we'll do what we want"
"Now we know", "And knowing is half the battle". -G.I. Joooooe
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Nerdfest on Tuesday October 20 2015, @11:36AM
Step one was getting rid of the fascist. Step two is getting the election laws changed so that we can vote for who we want without accidentally re-electing the fascist. Step three is a closer approximation of democracy.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Tuesday October 20 2015, @12:22PM
Yes, i think it's time to start writing the Liberals and let them know how their constituents feel, let them know what WE want.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. I have always been here. ---Gaaark 2.0 --
(Score: 2) by aclarke on Tuesday October 20 2015, @06:30PM
Some links:
https://www.liberal.ca/liberals-repeat-call-on-harper-to-release-tpp-deal/ [liberal.ca]
https://www.liberal.ca/statement-by-liberal-party-of-canada-leader-justin-trudeau-on-the-trans-pacific-partnership/ [liberal.ca]
From the second article:
I fully expect them to still pass TPP, but hopefully the details will at least still become more open beforehand. If you wanted TPP repealed, you should have voted Green.
(Score: 2) by Vanderhoth on Wednesday October 21 2015, @11:37AM
I actually thought about voting green. Three reasons I didn't.
1) It would have been a wasted vote. I actually like the Green party the most, but I knew nothing about their candidate in my riding and know they don't have a hope in hell of forming even an opposition government. I know, it's a shitty catch 22 for them.
2) I was afraid there would be too much vote splitting, which would have allowed the conservatives to from another government. There are three left leaning parties for people to vote for, more if you count other parties like the Block. There's only one right leaning party. That gives the conservatives an advantage because 60% of the country is split between three choices. The other ~40% only has one option. That's how the conservatives formed a majority government in the last election with just over 36% of the vote. Still a minority of the country, but united enough to tell the majority what to do.
3) I wanted the conservatives out BECAUSE of Harper. He said he'd step down if the conservatives lost, which he did. Now they have an opportunity to get a new leader and maybe it'll be someone worth voting for in the next election.
To be clear, I didn't like ANYONE in this election. The Green Party and the Liberals I disliked the least, in that order, but I voted for who I thought had the best chance of beating the one I disliked the most. I work in Science, had Harper formed another government I'd be lucky to have a job by the next election. We already went through three rounds of layoffs in the last two years. I feel pretty lucky I kept my job. A lot of my co-workers weren't so lucky. Harper hates science because it makes it hard for him, and his friends, to dictate policy when the science tells them something's not a good idea. Like building pipelines and open transportation channels where there could be serious environmental impacts. His solution was just to fire everyone telling him not to do it. Parks Canada, NRCan, and DFO were all hit very hard by layoffs and a lot of fisheries and resource management was handed over to private industry, who are expected to self police. Stock assessments are done every 5 years instead of every year now, so by the time the next one is done our commercial fisheries will probably be on par with the states, which isn't great.
"Now we know", "And knowing is half the battle". -G.I. Joooooe
(Score: 2) by aclarke on Wednesday October 21 2015, @12:54PM
Strategic voting certainly hit the Greens hard this time around. In my riding, the Conservative was going to win regardless, so I could vote Green and at least register that there's continued interest in that party's platform. The local Conservative MP is a good guy, just in the wrong party. He got elected this time by a small margin, so more strategic voting actually could have outed him. In the end though, he does a pretty good job of representing our riding, and can hopefully do a better job now that his party's out of power.
The two main parties have a strong vested interest in keeping FTTP representation and avoiding any sort of proportional representation. If we could institute some sort of ranked voting system, along with proportional representation in some form, I think our political landscape would look a lot different.
(Score: 2) by Vanderhoth on Wednesday October 21 2015, @01:48PM
I totally agree with you. That's what I hate most about our election system. You have one vote which picks the person representing you, the party that controls the house and the leader of the country. You might like the guy that represents you, but not the party or the leader, or like the leader but not the party or the person representing you or you might like the party but neither of the other two.
I really liked the conservative MP in my riding, he was a really nice guy, although I've never voted for him. I tend to vote for a combination of the party and the leader as most MPs will do what their party, and the party leader by extension, tell them first than what's right for their constituency second. I can't stand Harper, so I couldn't vote for the conservative MP in my riding. I assume the other people in our riding don't like Harper either. The conservative MP won by a huge margin in the last election and seemed to be really well liked, but was thrown out for a liberal candidate no one even knew up until 3-4 months ago. The only reason I can think of is because others thought like me and voted liberal just to get Harper out of office.
The election system is broken, but you're right. It's unlikely anyone will tackle fixing it as the major parties benefit from it, or can at least make it work to their advantage on occasion.
"Now we know", "And knowing is half the battle". -G.I. Joooooe
(Score: 1) by dingus on Tuesday October 20 2015, @01:44PM
Finally I can call Canada the liberal paradise it's supposed to be
(Score: 1) by jez9999 on Tuesday October 20 2015, @05:15PM
Is there an undubbed version somewhere? The constant voiceover is very irritating, I just wanna hear him speak the original French and English.
(Score: 1) by dw861 on Wednesday October 21 2015, @12:23AM
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday October 20 2015, @06:06PM
(OK, it was pretty Obamaesque, but I'm still stoked.)
You can still be stoked. Obama is an excellent speech-giver.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 20 2015, @06:57PM
I was surprise to get the "The uploader has not made this video available in your country" in Canada of all places. I guess they expect me to use the Crappy flash player on the CTV website.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 20 2015, @09:42PM
Apparently most of Global News's videos are not geo-locked.
Subset of a longer clip: Global News 2015 Federal Election Live Results (5:07:00) [youtube.com]