Guest editorial
Prime Minister Stephen Harper all but begged Canadians to give him a majority to ensure his government could proceed with their initiatives to kickstart the economy and keep taxes down.
Harper's Conservatives got their wish with their first majority government. Now they have to get to work to keep the promises they propagated during the short campaign.
However, what was more of a surprise in the election was not the Tory's majority, but the collapse of the Liberals and Bloc Quebecois and the resurgence of the New Democratic Party (NDP).
In the days leading up to the election it looked as though a majority government would be nothing but a dream for the Tories as Jack Layton and the New Democrat's “Orange Wave” surged into contention.
Not only did the NDP have an impact on the election they could solely be credited with the decimating the Liberal party and pushing the Bloc to the verge of extinction.
In a clear protest Quebec voters sent a profound message to the status quo in Belle Provence granting the NDP an incredible 58 seats while relegating the Liberals to seven seats and the Bloc to an astonishing four seats. The Conservatives won six seats in Quebec.
To put it in perspective, the Bloc previously had 50 seats in Quebec while the Liberals had 14. The New Democrats? They earned one seat in the 2008 election.
As polls showed the Layton's support skyrocketing last week Harper turned his attention away from Michael Ignatieff and the Liberals and focused his attack on Layton.
It looked as though Harper's dream of a majority government would turn into a nightmare. Not only did it appear his majority was slipping away, but it no longer looked like he would have to be concerned by a coalition government led by Layton — he had to deal with the potential of the NDP winning outright.
However, at the end of the day the Conservatives won their majority winning 166 seats while the New Democrats' final dash was enough to win 102 seats.
Harper certainly does not need to concern himself with a minority government or a coalition toppling his reign for the next four years.
The Prime Minister promised Canadians a majority government would give him the mandate to proceed with a number of programs, which were tabled with the budget in March.
The budget included a number of worthwhile programs such as new tax credits, including a volunteer firefighter tax credit, a child arts tax credit and caregiver tax credit and did not include income tax hikes.
The budget included a $29.6 billion deficit, but forecasted a return to a surplus in 2015-16. Macleod MP Ted Menzies said the government could return to surplus sooner, but it doesn't want to do anything that will hurt the economic recovery.
Opposition MPs warned the budget was merely a campaign prop and if the Conservatives won a majority they would renege on their budget promises.
Canadians are disillusioned with the negative campaigning, the alleged scandals and seemingly constant elections. This is an opportunity for Harper to win back the Canadian taxpayer who desperately wants honest, sound government.
This is an opportunity Harper had best not squander as Quebecers demonstrated the power of the protest vote.
Just ask Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff and Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe — you will find them at the unemployment line after both lost their seats.
- Okotoks Western Wheel, a Great West Newspaper
