Canadian Election Results Thread

[King of Kensington]

This was a historic election.  With the decimation of the Liberals, Canada does indeed seem likely headed towards a social democratic-conservative polarization like that in the UK and Western Europe.  This was of course a long-time goal of the NDP: they were very much inspired by the Labour Party.  And Harper has indeed united the right side of the spectrum - Reform, PC and "blue Liberals."  Whatever reservations there were from "socially liberal and fiscally conservative" business types about Harper seems to have evaporated.

[King of Kensington]

But wouldn't just supporting a (presumably reduced) Conservative government fatally damage what remains of their national support? The Liberal Party campaigned almost entirely by slamming Harper and presenting themselves as the only alternative (until another alternative rocketed overnight).

Ignatieff could have PM in 2009, but instead continued to prop up Harper.  If the Conservatives had been reduced to another minority, I think it's pretty clear the Liberals would rather prop up Harper than play second fiddle to the NDP.

[King of Kensington]

I'd be careful, too, but in both directions, and it all depends on how the NDP "establishes" itself over the next few years--in the end, any breakthrough here might have less to do with the now-decimated 70s-style "working class" than with a little Millerite Parkdale-High Park yupscale energy spilling over the Humber.  Or other factors--after all, a "validated" NDP could, with the right candidates and campaigns, wind up making critical breakthroughs in parts of Brampton/Mississauga that aren't Bramalea-Gore-Malton.  Remember that there may be a pool of "latent/potential" 905ish NDP support that was still suppressed this past election, due to uncertainty about an untested brand and untested local candidates and maybe residual memories of 1990...

How about David Miller as a federal NDP candidate in 2015?

[King of Kensington]

I'd be careful, too, but in both directions, and it all depends on how the NDP "establishes" itself over the next few years--in the end, any breakthrough here might have less to do with the now-decimated 70s-style "working class" than with a little Millerite Parkdale-High Park yupscale energy spilling over the Humber.  Or other factors--after all, a "validated" NDP could, with the right candidates and campaigns, wind up making critical breakthroughs in parts of Brampton/Mississauga that aren't Bramalea-Gore-Malton.  Remember that there may be a pool of "latent/potential" 905ish NDP support that was still suppressed this past election, due to uncertainty about an untested brand and untested local candidates and maybe residual memories of 1990...

How about David Miller as the federal NDP candidate in Etobicoke-Lakeshore?