The new face of Canada....

...for better or for worse!

Congrats to the new Rt. Honourable Stephen Harper, the Conservatives won fair and square. Though I have to admit, I don't see this government lasting more than a few months. And I'd be amazed if they last for more than two years.

I must admit that we do owe Mr. Harper a chance, and a slim minority government is enough of a checks and balance to ensure that he doesn't schedule weekly golf trips with good ol' Dubya. Though I respect him for winning, I don't necessarily like him. I still truly believe there's something to him that Canadians don't know (and this isn't coming from Liberal propoganda).

It's saddening that the Liberals lost yet it was inevitable. Re-electing a Liberal government would have only rewarded them for the numerous 'boondoggles' they've incurred over the past 12 years, surely leading to a few more scandals coming into the limelight. At the same time, I'm glad the have enough seats to still maintain a solid presence in Ottawa. I think it's only a matter of time before the Tories make a blunder (much like the Liberals have), and the Canadian public will once again fall head over heels for the Liberals once more. I think it's a good thing Mr. Martin resigned as leader, as his face would only serve as a reminder to the Canadian public of what was wrong with the party (be it fair or unjust), and fresh blood just might rejuvenate what I believe is truly Canada's party.

Good to see the NDP garner a few more seats as well. Mr. Layton needs what he can get. Now if only he shaved that moustache so that people didn't think he was an old used car salesman :P Seriously though, I like the NDP, and would genuinely have voted for them had my riding not been a Liberal stronghold.

Ultimatley this election showed my own true colours. At the onset, I was (as everyone else) tired of hearing about Liberal scandals and wanted change. Yet since I disagree heavily with Tory policy, was intent on voting NDP. That's until I realized what the Liberals have done over the past 12 years in power...

Yes, ultimately they will probably be remembered for the sponsorship scandal, but in the grand scheme of things, is $100 million that much to waste? Of course it was wrong, but the Gomery inquiry was just as expensive (if not moreso), and really told us nothing we already didn't know.

Will increased military spending (which I'm expecting), used to fight unjust wars abroad not be as unethical? Do tax cuts leading to higher user fees and a lower standard of living define 'responsible government'? And does "Standing Up for Canada" mean "Stepping On" it's less fortunate and downtrodden?

All politicians in power, be they in Canada or Timbuktu, are corrupt. The Liberals were just brazen and stupid enough to get caught. I just can't wait to see the Conservatives get off their high horse once they do something similarly stupid. And BTW, throughout this campaign, did everyone conveniently forget that Brian Mulroney was quite possibly the most corrupt PM of all time? It seemed duplicitous to say the least, for the Tories to ride the sponsorship scandal bandwagon to victory.

At the end of the day, as embarrassing as it may sound, I think I've rekindled my allegiance to the Liberal party. I think this election was a good wakeup call for them to clean their mess up, and come back swinging. Keep in mind that DESPITE all the mess, they STILL managed around 100 seats (I'm not sure of the exact numbers, they're still counting). With a new leader and a better campaign, I'm certain they win the next election (which will be soon).

And a quick reminder to any of my blog-ites that are gloating of a Conservative victory - Remember Joe Clark in '79? Neither do I!