Canadian PM wins majority government
Source: Agencies |
May 4, 2011, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CONSERVATIVE Prime Minister Stephen Harper won his coveted majority government in elections that changed Canada's political landscape with the opposition Liberals and Quebec separatists suffering a shattering defeat.
Harper, who took office in 2006, had won two elections but until Monday's vote had never held a majority of Parliament's 308 seats, forcing him to rely on the opposition to pass legislation.
While Harper's hold on Parliament has been tenuous during his five-year tenure, he has managed to nudge an instinctively center-left country to the right. He has gradually lowered sales and corporate taxes, avoided climate change legislation, promoted Arctic sovereignty, upped military spending and extended Canada's military mission in Afghanistan.
Elections Canada reported preliminary results on its website, giving the Conservatives 167 seats, which will give Harper four years of uninterrupted government.
"We are grateful, deeply honored, in fact humbled by the decisive endorsement of so many Canadians," Harper told elated supporters at the Telus Convention Centre in Calgary, Alberta.
The leftist New Democratic Party was projected to become the main opposition party for the first time in Canadian history with 102 seats, tripling their support.
"It's an historic night for New Democrats," NDP leader Jack Layton said.
Harper was helped by the NDP surge, which split the left-of-center vote in many districts, handing victory to Conservative candidates, especially in Ontario, where the Liberals were decimated in their last national stronghold.
Former colleagues of Harper say his long-term goals are to shatter the image of the Liberals - the party of former Prime Ministers Jean Chretien, Lester Pearson and Pierre Trudeau - as the natural party of government in Canada, and to redefine what it means to be Canadian.
Harper took a major step toward that goal on Monday as the Liberals suffered their worst defeat in Canadian history - dropping to 34 seats from 77, according to the preliminary results.
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff congratulated Harper and New Democrat leader Jack Layton and accepted responsibility for the "historic defeat."
"Democracy teaches hard lessons, and we have to learn them all," Ignatieff told a somber gathering in Toronto.
Ignatieff, who even lost his own seat in a Toronto suburb, said, "I will play any part that the party wishes me to play as we go forward to rebuild."
The Green party, which focuses on environmental issues, won its first seat ever in the House of Commons as leader Elizabeth May won in a British Columbia district.
The Conservatives got 40 percent of the vote, compared to 31 percent for the NDP and 19 percent for the Liberals.
Harper, who took office in 2006, had won two elections but until Monday's vote had never held a majority of Parliament's 308 seats, forcing him to rely on the opposition to pass legislation.
While Harper's hold on Parliament has been tenuous during his five-year tenure, he has managed to nudge an instinctively center-left country to the right. He has gradually lowered sales and corporate taxes, avoided climate change legislation, promoted Arctic sovereignty, upped military spending and extended Canada's military mission in Afghanistan.
Elections Canada reported preliminary results on its website, giving the Conservatives 167 seats, which will give Harper four years of uninterrupted government.
"We are grateful, deeply honored, in fact humbled by the decisive endorsement of so many Canadians," Harper told elated supporters at the Telus Convention Centre in Calgary, Alberta.
The leftist New Democratic Party was projected to become the main opposition party for the first time in Canadian history with 102 seats, tripling their support.
"It's an historic night for New Democrats," NDP leader Jack Layton said.
Harper was helped by the NDP surge, which split the left-of-center vote in many districts, handing victory to Conservative candidates, especially in Ontario, where the Liberals were decimated in their last national stronghold.
Former colleagues of Harper say his long-term goals are to shatter the image of the Liberals - the party of former Prime Ministers Jean Chretien, Lester Pearson and Pierre Trudeau - as the natural party of government in Canada, and to redefine what it means to be Canadian.
Harper took a major step toward that goal on Monday as the Liberals suffered their worst defeat in Canadian history - dropping to 34 seats from 77, according to the preliminary results.
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff congratulated Harper and New Democrat leader Jack Layton and accepted responsibility for the "historic defeat."
"Democracy teaches hard lessons, and we have to learn them all," Ignatieff told a somber gathering in Toronto.
Ignatieff, who even lost his own seat in a Toronto suburb, said, "I will play any part that the party wishes me to play as we go forward to rebuild."
The Green party, which focuses on environmental issues, won its first seat ever in the House of Commons as leader Elizabeth May won in a British Columbia district.
The Conservatives got 40 percent of the vote, compared to 31 percent for the NDP and 19 percent for the Liberals.
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