Justin Trudeau has led his Liberal party to an astounding victory on Oct.19,2015. It marks an end to the bitter, divisive, secretive and at times anti- democratic governance of Stephen Harper who had promised to change Canada forever, destroying the " hated" Liberals in the process. Harper had ridiculed Trudeau, question his ability, impugn his character and tried to destroy him with attack ads as he had done to Michael Ignatieff and Strphan Dion in the last two elections. It not only did not work, it backfired and outraged Canadians, especially when he hired an Australian "hit man" ( who had run vicious racist, anti- immigrant campaigns in Australia and UK), used wedge issues like the Niqab, " barbaric cultural practices" , made references to " old- stock Canadians, took ads in Chinese and Punjabi ( in ethnic ridings), accusing Trudeau of wanting to set up drug dens and brothels, in their community and brought the Ford brothers. Canadians were disgusted by these tactics and roundly rejected him, sending him from 166 seats to 99, a loss of 67 seats.
The Liberal won 184 seats with 39.5% of the votes. They received 4,133,373 more votes ( 59.66% more than in 2011 when they won only 37 seats. The CPC of Harper won 99 seats with 31.9% of the votes; the NDP won 44 seats with 19.7% and the Bloc won 10 seats with 4.7% while the Greens kept their 1 seat with 3.5% of the votes.
88 women were elected up from 76, ( 50 from 104 Liberals ; 18 from 146 NDP; 17 from 66 Conservatives ; 2 from 22 Bloc and 1 green. 10 Indigenous ( 8 Libe and 2 NDP). The non- white communities ( I refuse to use " visible minority" as it is racist and simplistic lumping Indians, Pahistanis, Sri lankans,Chinese, Africans And so many others together) will have 47 up from 28, mostly from GTA and Vancouver, which is 14% of the population.
The turnout was the highest since 1993 ( 70.9%).
The Liberals ran a very smooth and consistent campaign. They moved to the left, as they have done in the past, outflanking the NDP, which made the same mistake they did in 1984 when they moved to the center under Broadbent. They stayed on message hammering away on tax cuts, climate change, relief for the middle class, accepting up to 25, 000 Refugees, canceling the F- 51 contract, multi- literalism, holding an inquiry into missing aboriginal women, etc. Their message, clear and simple resonated with voters who wanted a change from the years of Harper. They were tired of scandals, of division, of fear tactics and of a government that was seen as autocratic, anti- democratic and too secretive. They wanted change and they got their wishes.
Justin Trudeau was poised and comfortable and he campaign with relish, plunging into the crowds, shaking hands, kissing babies and taking selfies and he came over as genuine. Harper as Harper, stand- of fish, tight almost uncomfortable, gimmicky and in the last days cha- changing like a carnival barker, bragging the Fords along with his Australian snake - oil salesman. Mulcair ran a principled campaign, but his smile and tone were artificial and when he tried to ruffle Trudeau with his " what is the number" and Trudeau replied " 9", he was left speechless and with the Niqab hanging around his neck, he was never to recover.
Trudeau is a natural. He is not his father. He has poise and confidence not flare and arrogance. He is open and approachable, not aloof and brusque. He is comfortable in his skin ( after all he is the product of an intellectual and a flower-child, who is not unaccustomed to meeting heads of sate and government as well as rock stars. He is not fazed and this is what people saw and liked). He is ( as Charles Taylor, referred to in his book, Pattern of Politics, of the class of the New Young Leader, like his father, Wilson, Kennedy, Brandt, someone who is in touch with the past while being comfortable in the present......he strides both world with ease).
Get use to it. He will be around for a long time.
The Liberal won 184 seats with 39.5% of the votes. They received 4,133,373 more votes ( 59.66% more than in 2011 when they won only 37 seats. The CPC of Harper won 99 seats with 31.9% of the votes; the NDP won 44 seats with 19.7% and the Bloc won 10 seats with 4.7% while the Greens kept their 1 seat with 3.5% of the votes.
88 women were elected up from 76, ( 50 from 104 Liberals ; 18 from 146 NDP; 17 from 66 Conservatives ; 2 from 22 Bloc and 1 green. 10 Indigenous ( 8 Libe and 2 NDP). The non- white communities ( I refuse to use " visible minority" as it is racist and simplistic lumping Indians, Pahistanis, Sri lankans,Chinese, Africans And so many others together) will have 47 up from 28, mostly from GTA and Vancouver, which is 14% of the population.
The turnout was the highest since 1993 ( 70.9%).
The Liberals ran a very smooth and consistent campaign. They moved to the left, as they have done in the past, outflanking the NDP, which made the same mistake they did in 1984 when they moved to the center under Broadbent. They stayed on message hammering away on tax cuts, climate change, relief for the middle class, accepting up to 25, 000 Refugees, canceling the F- 51 contract, multi- literalism, holding an inquiry into missing aboriginal women, etc. Their message, clear and simple resonated with voters who wanted a change from the years of Harper. They were tired of scandals, of division, of fear tactics and of a government that was seen as autocratic, anti- democratic and too secretive. They wanted change and they got their wishes.
Justin Trudeau was poised and comfortable and he campaign with relish, plunging into the crowds, shaking hands, kissing babies and taking selfies and he came over as genuine. Harper as Harper, stand- of fish, tight almost uncomfortable, gimmicky and in the last days cha- changing like a carnival barker, bragging the Fords along with his Australian snake - oil salesman. Mulcair ran a principled campaign, but his smile and tone were artificial and when he tried to ruffle Trudeau with his " what is the number" and Trudeau replied " 9", he was left speechless and with the Niqab hanging around his neck, he was never to recover.
Trudeau is a natural. He is not his father. He has poise and confidence not flare and arrogance. He is open and approachable, not aloof and brusque. He is comfortable in his skin ( after all he is the product of an intellectual and a flower-child, who is not unaccustomed to meeting heads of sate and government as well as rock stars. He is not fazed and this is what people saw and liked). He is ( as Charles Taylor, referred to in his book, Pattern of Politics, of the class of the New Young Leader, like his father, Wilson, Kennedy, Brandt, someone who is in touch with the past while being comfortable in the present......he strides both world with ease).
Get use to it. He will be around for a long time.
