"The government seems to feel that the way to acquire power is to create a boogeyman and that boogeyman is the United States and what it represents. It's a strange way to treat your neighbor and chief trading partner."
That's how Goldy Hyder, a top strategist for Canada's new Conservative Party, described the Liberal victory in last week's Canadian parliamentary elections. He and other Conservative strategists blamed their party's defeat on charges made by Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberal Party that Conservative Leader Stephen Harper had a "hidden agenda" to bring Canada closer to the U.S.
Despite pre-election polls that showed Conservatives in a dead heat with Liberals, the Liberals ended up winning 135 seats (down from a commanding 168 in the last parliament), while Conservatives took only 99 (a net gain of 26). The far-left New Democratic Party won 19 and the Bloc Quebecois won 54. One Independent, who will vote with the Conservatives, was also elected.
Some critics argued the Conservatives were hurt by the cultural conservatism of many of the party's candidates. But the facts prove otherwise: Every pro-life Conservative member of Parliament was re-elected, while their overall ranks were increased.
Martin's Liberals will now head Canada's first minority government in a quarter-century and must rely on support from the leftist NDP. Canada has had minority governments eight times before, but they tend to be short-lived. Their average life span is only 15 months. So look for a new election in Canada soon.
