Election Night

Okay, so now the clock ticker on the bottom of the screen has zeroed out. I've pulled my laptop down from my office, and watching the TV I'll update anyone who's following (as if anyone is).

Short Snappers
These notes will be updated through the evening, even though it looks like a continuous blog entry.

First results come in from the east coast. They are talking to Peter MacKay in the east, (declared elected), which made me think - this guy has been totally invisible during the entire election!! I've not heard his name mentioned even once during the whole campaign. Anyway, Mackay and the liberal (former PC) Scott Bryson has also been elected.

More results to come, but early going, and it's Liberals leading 24 to 11 to 5 for NDP and a single BQ are the numbers for elected and leading.

Any Americans out there? Unfortunately I'm guessing there is absolutely zero coverage on the entire US cable universe. Too bad... as bad as our Parliamentary system is - it's way better than the US system. It would be nice if you could see REAL democracy in action. Yes, democracy where there are no election irregularities. No ridings (ie electoral districts) where there are more votes cast than voters. No weird machine breakdowns that toss out all the black voters ballots.

Okay - just a little gloating there that the 'bastion of democracy' to the south is so unaware of what's happening with their near biggest economic partner so near to millions of their citizens.

More as it happens

TV Coverage - Sucking Spectacularly
Okay, so finally the results are rolling in, and we're seeing numbers for various ridings here and there. The CBC is showing the lineup of photos of candidates for various ridings and their current scores. BUT THEY DON"T INDICATE WHO THE INCUMBANT IS! What idiots. Isn't that kind of an obvious bit of info we want to know?!!?

Looks like CTV has a little MP on the face that is the encumbant, though I didn't notice it right away.

Okay, even global, the crazy right wing biased channel, has little [i] symbols to indicate incumbant.

Oshawa Swings ?
Hey ho - it looks like Sid Ryan is taking Oshawa? Ha - toasting that Carrie guy. Heard an all-candidates session and Ryan (though a union guy) sounded much more canny than the Carrie guy. Glad to see it swing away from the incumbent loser guy.

Later... Carrie managed to take it afterall. So much for voting based on candidate intelligence. (...and I'm NOT an NDP supporter).

So far it looks strangely like the polls were off, but it's so early who can say.

Scratch that, the share of the vote is still favouring the liberals at 35%lib to 38%CPC to 22%NDP for NDP. But thats the popular vote. The elected or leading numbers are showing 93CPC 80Lib, 37BQ 20NDP 1 OTHER

And, everyone seems to be already saying PC minority. So far so good.

Say It Ain't So
Okay, so all the stations are calling it a CPC (oops I said PC earlier - that "P" has long been lost. Perhaps an "R' would be more approriate ie regressive. Anyway. I heard Bernhard Lord just use the words "Prime minister Harper". What a scary thought.

Oh well - I'm expecting Martin is now out, Probably John Manley will take the leadership, and we'll have another vote perhaps in June or August and then Harper will be gone. I just wonder what sort of a mess we'll be left with in the meantime.

Global Television Conservative Sycophants
Watching a bit of Global - holy frothing conservative suck-ups! They've got these pundits just grinning and claiming that there will be a conservative majority within the year. They're just going on and on about this valhalla that they think they've stumbled into.

It's amazing how out of tune with reality they are. They claim as well that the liberals will be in a 5 year disoriented fratracide session. Man - they are drinking their own kool-aid.

Every riding that isn't a conservative win, they are saying "it's still early, and too close to call", but when it's a conservative lead, they just say "oh yeah, they've won it."

Gotta change the channel - what a bunch of biased suck ups.

NDP Gains, and Greens on the Radar
The popular vote is looking strong for the NDP. Even Olivia Chow is leading in her riding. I think the historic highs for the NDP were 43 seats under Ed Broadbent.

The Greens are leading in a BC riding. THis will be cool to watch. I've seen squat on Ottawa centre to see how the split is going, but I assume Dewar is leading the pack... but I've got nothing to go on there yet.

Good to see Tony Clement is not getting any traction in his on-going bid to get into federal politics. The stink of the Harris provincial government must still be in his laundry.

Hey, there's an independent in Churchill Manitoba still leading. I can't recall seeing anyone ever being elected as an independent in a general election in my lifetime.

Other breaking news, Belinda Stronach has won her riding!

Wha-hoo! Peter Kent has also lost his riding. Ha! He seems like such a dozy goof - glad to see no progress there.

Ken Dryden, my childhood hero has held onto his riding. What politics has to do with goal-tending I don't know, but glad to see him holding on.

Paul Martin has held onto his riding, and (drat) so has MacCallum.

Oh yeah, been meaning to say this during all my blogs, but my least favourite government folk are MacCallum, Pettigrew, and Graham. I'll be happy to see all three no longer in any position.

Interestingly, the numbers on the screen are now showing a green elected or leading, and an other elected or leading!! What an interesting election this one hs turned out to be.

Balance of Power
SO the intersting thing to be resolved so far, is will the NDP hold the balance of power. 102 liberal, and 30 for NDP against the 121 of the PC so far. Now this isn't a done deal yet, with lots of data to come in still. But if the Lib + NDP total is greater than the CPC, then that will be great, as they can trash the CPC quickly when the timing is right... without having to rely on the Bloc to do the deed. Of course, a deal with the devil is possible there. Conservatives and Bloc working together - I wouldn't put it past them.

Finally, Ottawa Centre
Okay, so finally saw that Dewar is taking Ottawa Centre. The CBC not showing the Green numbers strangely. Typical ignoramuses.

Oh- hey figured out that there is an (x) to indicate the incumbant. Not the most obvious indication. I assumed (X) meant leading, as there is coincidence there. Why is it not an (I), one might well ask.

Hold the Phones
What - Tony Clement seems to be winning by about 5 votes! What a wacky switch this is. At least there is an automatic re-count to be had in this case, no doubt. I beleive Elections Canada does one of those when the margin is slim. Will be nice to see him lose if he does.

Also, the other Harris Ontario PC Jim Flaherty seems to have his riding awarded to him. More Harris stink for the country - and speculation that he's got possibilities for the finance minister

Ralph Goodale won his riding. He's pretty eloquant and humble in the face of his voters. I don't beleive there was a leak of any Income Trust policy changes, so that whole ruse was a wash anyway for him, I guess. It's unfortunate that the media went all feeding frenzy on his ass. I'm not much of a fan of the guy normally, but he seems to have a bit of 'humbility'.

Sounds like there is an independent in Quebec - some radio talk-show host. Not sure what that's about, as there's only one independent shown on the scoreboard. Alas, the Green number has dropped off the board. What of the Churchill independent?

My fear is that both the CPC and the Bloc are both unpalatable and ornery enough, that if they form an alliance, we'll be stuck with them, and they'll trash the country.

Hey, Olivia Chow has won her riding. This stinks a little bit of the family business thing that I typically think very little of, but we'll have to wait and see what she can do for her riding. I assume it won't be the same as the crazy husband and wife team (Grewals) caught up in the post-Stronach craziness. Sounds like Gurmant didn't run this time. Don't know about his remote-control wife. Perhaps he's running her only this time.

Later...Yes, his remote control wife Nina did win, and so Gurmant remains in power and incognito. Also, a reprimand from the ethics commissioner just released should ensure he stays in the background somewhat. Wonder if he'll steal his wifes clothes and show up in the house anyway?

Final View, Before Calling it a Night
So I fear that a few weeks from now, the grizzyly right wing true colours will start to show their ugly face.

Ha - some pseudo-journalist is talking to Belinda, suggesting that the leadership of the liberals is in her future! What a joke, as if she'd even have a modicum of support for the position. What a joke. Speaking of Jokes...

Stockwell Day won his riding in Okanagan! This should be good for a laugh - what will they do with him? It would be hilarious to see him as a cabinet minister. What a crock this government is going to be.

Just making a final dent in a bottle of Lot 88 Cabernet Shiraz. A nice drink from Australia that has got me through a nice steak dinner, and through a full evening of election returns.


It's looking now like the following split:

122 CPC; 106Lib; 50BQ, 30NDP, 1IND.

So, gladly the NDP looks like they have a good hold on the balance of power, but of course an alliance between the CPC and the Bloc is more than the Liberals and NDP. So we'll have to see what sort of deal with the devil the CPC will make. With that - I'll take my leave. Unfortunately, the Greens sound like they're out of it for the night. Perhaps next time. I'm glad I could throw a vote their way on a whim, and not risk our riding going in a wacky direction.