It's been a long time coming, this last day of the election campaign. And it's been a campaign that covered a lot of ground -- some good soil and some swamp. Tim Harper writes:
We went from debating budget bottom lines to a discussion which cut to the core of what it meant to be Canadian — the value of our citizenship, our history of welcoming the world’s neediest, our treatment of our neighbours, our place in the world, our accommodation to others with different customs and garb.
Some of the debate soared. Some of it headed straight to the ditch, sullied by a welt of lies and exaggerations meant to sow fear and appeal to our innermost darkness rather than challenging us to rise above the distractions and seek to become better Canadians.Niqabs, snitch lines and revoked citizenships really had no place in this campaign, but there they were, alongside brothels in the suburbs and “marijuana stores” beside schools.
Early on, it appeared we were heading for history with the potential election of Mulcair and the first NDP government in this country.
What ever happens, today will make history:
If he wins, Trudeau will become the first offspring of a prime minister to win the job himself and he will have steered a party from third place at the dissolution of Parliament to victory for the first time in Canadian history.
If he loses Monday, Harper will be the first prime minister in 36 years to go from a majority of his making to conceding defeat on election night. The last? Trudeau’s father, Pierre Trudeau, in his 1979 defeat at the hands of Progressive Conservative Joe Clark.
Should Harper prevail, he will become the first Canadian leader to win four consecutive elections in more than a century, since Sir Wilfrid Laurier. He would have done it by defeating four different Liberal leaders.
This has been no ordinary election. It has made history.
17 comments:
A thought occurs to me, Owen, that perhaps the almost interminable length of this campaign has forced more people to pay attention to our politics; if true, I hope that translates into a robust turnout at the polls today. It will then mean that Harper's strategy badly backfired.
I agree, Lorne. Burnham Wood has come to Dunsinane.
A Lib victory tonight would completely put to rest the myth that Harper is a brilliant strategist. By having the campaign over 78 days, he had allowed Trudeau to get over his initial stumbles, hone his political skills and grow his support.
Worst of all, he would only have himself to thank for his own humiliation by the son of his political nemesis by torpedoing the NDP's lead with the Niqab issue.
Recall that pundits like Paul Wells, John Ivison, Chris Hall, John Ibbitson had a hand in creating the myth that Harper was a masterful chess player. In fact even as late as Oct. 2, Wells was loudly proclaiming that Harper was winning the campaign, if not the election: http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/paul-wells-as-far-as-i-can-tell-stephen-harper-is-winning/
I think we are also seeing the myth being put to rest that people like Wells know what they are talking about, eh?
I agree, Anon. Stephen Harper has floated for ten years on hot air. In the end, that hot air -- and everything else -- has deserted him.
Who are the Returning Officers? Harperian appointees. Who are the Deputy Returning Officers? Appointments made by the Harperian appointees. Who's counting the votes? People under the control of the DROs.
Counting eggs before they're hatched is one thing. Counting them before they've been laid is quite another.
I agree, Dana. Let's see how the math shakes out.
"Blogger Dana said...
Who are the Returning Officers? Harperian appointees. Who are the Deputy Returning Officers? Appointments made by the Harperian appointees. Who's counting the votes? People under the control of the DROs."
I have been thinking the same....
Hmmm will the cheater cheat his way back in?
Owen, just stopped by to gloat. I just got back from the polling station. New record - under 2:30 from stepping inside to stepping outside again. Under 2:30. That's my all time best. Well under one hundred fifty seconds, all in. Ah, Owen, bask in the glow of my greatness! Just sayin'
Enjoy the glow, Mound. Voter turn out is turning around.
As I wrote to Dana, Mogs, let's see how the math shakes out.
http://ipolitics.ca/2015/05/14/harper-is-now-a-pm-fleeing-his-past/
There is something about Michael Harris he manages to nail Harper to the cross in an eloquent way. There has been election irregularities here in BC strange ones. One voter reported receiving ballots that were pre spoiled with ink blotches. He returned that one only to receive a second with ink blotches? Those are "spoiled" ballots, um ink blotches? I remember when that was problematic with printers many many decades ago. But today nearly everyone has a printer at home do we get ink blotches? No because the Harper Government did not supply them we bought them. Then a number of voters complained about getting the wrong voter registration card? Never heard that one before. Harper is clever and deceitful like a Hyena [I like that Harper the Hyena] and I fear what Dana does Harper has found a new way to rig elections. Take over elections Canada voting booths with card carrying members of the CPC as 'volunteers'?. What better way?
I understand yours and Dana's suspicion, Mogs. After all, Harris writes, when it comes to Harper, there are precedents. But, as I say, let's see how how the math shakes out.
- I'd rather watch the Blue Jays than the election results and I ain't a big fan of sports. I'm a lesser fan of horror shows and this election is a 'horror' show and a blood sport all rolled into one. Gotta hand it to harper he wanted to change Canada he sure did I never ever though that it would involve cheating lying and hiring crooks. I remember how easy it was to cheat in Junior High school for those that were bent in that fashion. They used the clever and devious practice of taking the 'master' sheet from the 'stencil duplicator or mimeograph machine' that the teachers threw in the trash bin in the room connected to the gymnasium that housed the stencil machine. So prior to test day the 'jocks' would sell the stencil sheet so if you bought one you could look up the answers prior and get 100% on that test. Harper is stuck in that kind of childish mentality.
.. everyone should do their homework n due diligence.. on how Harper Inc & Big Energy stole their 2011 Election 'majority'.. Oh sure, M Sona & several others in Guelph swindled some 268 riding via live and robo calls, all employing the Harper Party database who's log/ins from senior party operatives were tampered with pre RCMP 'investigation' .. Its to laugh... or cry actually, for Canada. Goodness, Michael Sona was clever enuff to buy 268 burner phones y'know & hire a 1 ton truck and a stevedore to hump em across Canada.. oh c'mon folks...
And Stephen Harper & cabin boy Ray Novak & Loreen.. or John Baird.. knew nada about Nigel ... Duffy
Sure.. eh ? Stevie saw it on the TV n got upset ... oh pooh pooh.. Harper aint got the Google y'know
His narrative holds no water, salamander. There comes a time when you wind up drowning in your own lies.
He's still practicing sandbox etiquette, Mogs.
Thank goodness we beat Harper tonight. Now where are we going under the young gun? I hope it is to greener pastures...
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