Martin Says Goodbye, Harper Says Hello, and Layton Says “Working Canadian Families”

By Joshua Errett

It appears as if most Canadians got what they wanted last night, with the Conservatives achieving a minor minority and PM Paul Martin effectively resigning.
Over the past six weeks (the first two, we were convinced of another Lib win), Torontoist has spoke out against getting too cozy with the Cons – and we spoke this for good reason. First, some of the CPC platform is a little redonkers; mainly considering time and money parameters. Solving the so-called fiscal imbalance, an electoral overhaul, repealing voting rights for prisoners and the whole accountability act might have been addressed over three years in a majority government, but no way with a 20-seat advantage. We’d be surprised if any of this comes into fruition – at least the fruition that was bandied about in the last month. Number 2, a vote for Conservative minority, according to John Manley, is a vote for another election within a year. Who out there is convinced that Harper-Harper-Bo-Barper will get along with the likes of Jack Layton or Gilles Duceppe? Perhaps JACK will vote along with the not-so-smart minimum sentencing stuff, but good luck with stuff like defence spending with Gilles (or any opposition for that matter).
And, a quick little love like ‘you didn’t do so bad’ note to Paul Martin: Though they weren’t your ideas per se, the gay marriage bill, the efforts to decriminalize marijuana, the decent economy and jobless rate, and the (just in time) special attention to Toronto were much appreciated. But just because we liked these bits of your term doesn’t mean we ever liked Tony Ianno.
Next up for the Liberals? Our sources have told us Foot-in-mouth McKenna, Iggy, Belinda the Good Witch, Brian Tobin, Scott Brison or Ken Dryden.
And, one more spike in the spoke, we predict Liberal leader Jack Layton will beat Conservative John Tory in the 2012 general election.