Canadian Elections

From the Globe and Mail:
"Harper to move fast to use his new authority"

It’s been seven years since a party had a majority of seats in the Commons, and Stephen Harper will put this new-found authority to immediate use. A majority government not only cements Mr. Harper’s leadership within the Conservative Party but it gives him four years to pursue his policies as he sees fit without having to shelve long-term plans every few months in case his rivals might defeat him. "Our job starts tomorrow," Mr. Harper said in his victory speech from Calgary late Monday night. "We will implement what we laid out in the budget, our plan for jobs and growth without raising taxes." A majority will make it easier for Mr. Harper to balance the budget. He will be able to schedule government spending cuts over four years instead of worrying this would alarm voters. It may also give him leeway to cut payments to provinces if his promise to keep health transfers rising at 6 per cent annually puts too much pressure on Ottawa’s coffers. As pledged, the Tories will move rapidly on a far-reaching rewrite of Canada’s crime laws. They’re planning to bundle 11 pieces of law-and-order legislation they’d failed to enact as a minority government into one omnibus bill that will be passed within 100 days of taking power. Measures would include an end to house arrest for serious and violent criminals, tougher sentences and mandatory jail time for sexual offences against children and a crackdown on the handling of violent and repeat young offenders. Say goodbye to the long-gun registry and $2-per-vote subsidies for political parties now that Stephen Harper has full control over the levers of power in Ottawa. And get ready for term limits on senators and greater foreign ownership of companies that offer telecom services such as cellphones. Also on the front-burner will be legislation long sought by the United States to toughen up copyright protections for those who make movies, software and other creative works.

Tories won 167 seats out of the 308 in the House of Commons, the NDP took 102, the Liberals 34, the Bloc Québécois four, and the Green Party one. Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe saw his party reduced to a small regional rump — the first time since 1993 that the separatist party hasn't claimed at least half Quebec's 75 seats.

^ It looks like Canada will have more time with the Conservatives - who are the Republicans of the country. Some of their platforms seem interesting and I am curious to see if they are achieved. ^

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-to-move-fast-to-use-his-new-authority/article2007581/