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24-01-2006, 07:26
Conservatives win minority, Martin stepping down
Canadians awarded Conservative Leader Stephen Harper with a minority government Monday, putting an end to more than 12 years of Liberal rule.
As of 1:15 a.m. ET, the Conservatives were in line to take 124 seats, versus 103 for Paul Martin's Liberals.
But prime minister designate Harper fell short of the 155 seats needed to lead a Tory majority, meaning he'll have to wheel and deal to woo at least one opposition party to support him in the 308-seat House of Commons.
Martin to step down
Addressing a roomful of cheering party faithful in his Quebec riding of LaSalle-Emard, Liberal Leader Paul Martin said: "There will be another chance, and there will be another time."
But that next chance won't come under his stewardship. Martin said he will continue representing his riding, but announced he will be stepping down as Liberal Leader, triggering what will likely be a heated leadership race.
"My dedication to the Liberal family will never wane," said Martin. "But I will not take our party into another election."
Martin said he had called Harper on the phone to congratulate him.
The Bloc Quebecois has won 51 seats, while the NDP currently sits at 29 -- 10 more than they held after the 2004 election.
Tory gains
Support for the Tories took off when the polls closed west of Atlantic Canada.
As expected, the Conservatives dominated in the West, taking most seats in the Prairies and sweeping all 28 seats in Alberta.
Public Safety Minister Anne McLellan could not hold on to Alberta's lone Liberal seat in Edmonton Centre. She was defeated by Tory Laurie Hawn, a former fighter pilot.
But it was in battleground Ontario where the Conservatives made a big breakthrough, seizing 40 seats after winning only 24 in the last election.
Canada's largest city, however, remained solidly Liberal with two exceptions: one that has fallen to NDP Leader Jack Layton, who won his Toronto-Danforth riding; another to Layton's wife Olivia Chow, who has won a seat in a Toronto riding for the New Democrats. The two have become the Commons' second husband-and-wife team.
Belinda Stronach, despite her notorious decision to cross the floor and prop up the Liberal government last year, coasted to victory in her riding north of Toronto.
In Quebec, the Conservatives seem to be making crucial gains in the province that shut them out in 2004.
Early results indicate the Tories are elected in eight ridings, while the Liberals are tied with the same number, and an independent candidate has secured one seat.
But the Tories didn't make the breakthrough they were hoping for in Atlantic Canada.
Although a late surge in the polls had the Conservative Party gaining momentum in Atlantic Canada, Paul Martin's Liberals managed to hang on to their traditional stronghold.
The Liberals won a majority in Atlantic Canada with 19 of the region's 32 seats -- compared to 10 for the Tories and three for the NDP.
Deputy Tory Leader Peter MacKay -- widely expected to get a high-profile cabinet post should the Conservatives win -- won re-election in his Nova Scotia riding of New Glasgow.
Former NDP leader Alexa McDonough was also re-elected in the Nova Scotia riding of Halifax.
Although there were concerns Liberal Public Works Minister Scott Brison could lose his Nova Scotia seat of Kings-Hants, he recaptured it easily. Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott also hung onto his Fredericton, N.B. riding.
All four major party leaders won their ridings.
Brian Mulroney, the last man to lead the Tories to power, praised Harper on Monday for leading the Tories to victory.
"It's a tremendous tribute to Stephen Harper for what he was able to do in bringing about tonight's victory," Mulroney told CTV from West Palm Beach, Fla.
Mulroney also gave Harper kudos for engineering the merger of the old Conservative party and the Canadian Alliance -- and then devising a campaign strategy and executing it flawlessly.
"Reaching out to Peter MacKay to unify the party, then to move the party to the centre, then to devise a campaign strategy and finally to execute it flawlessly, these are marks of leadership.
"And Stephen Harper demonstrated that leadership in a great degree.''
Mulroney said he was particularly thrilled with the gains the Tories were able to make in Quebec.
Indeed, the gains allow the Tory Party to claim that it's now truly a national party. But the Liberals faired better than pollsters expected.
"They're sticking around," said CTV's chief parliamentary correspondent, Craig Oliver.
"They'll be a significant opposition force, and in a good position to restore itself, to rebuild their credibility and rebuild they're party. But it'll have to do it under a new leader."
Balance of power
NDP Leader Jack Layton meanwhile, spent the final weeks of the campaign telling voters that his party was the only choice when it comes to protecting social programs and health care.
It seemed to have worked, with his party gaining stronger levels of support not seen since the 1980s.
Layton hailed his party's gains as a victory for "ordinary Canadians."
"Our Canada puts ordinary Canadians first, and tonight, ordinary Canadians by the millions put their trust in the NDP and took a big step forward."
Campaign review
Martin ended up in the fight of his political life against Harper. His Liberals took a pounding in the polls with voters upset over allegations of government scandal and a rash of urban gun violence, including a brazen Boxing Day shootout that killed a 15-year-old bystander in downtown Toronto.
Harper capitalized on those concerns, promising to get tough on corruption and to crack down on gun crime with mandatory minimum sentences.
Just before the New Year, the RCMP announced an investigation into an income trust announcement by the Liberals. That's when the Grits dropped sharply in the polls and the Conservatives rose -- at one point leading the Liberals by 18 points in a Strategic Counsel survey.
In the end, Harper succeeded in convincing voters that it was, in fact, time for change.
But although Harper never suggested it himself, Conservatives were hoping a majority was in the cards. In the end, Canadians may have heeded Martin's message of caution, trimming the Tories' power and forcing them to cooperate with other parties in the next Parliament.
The Conservatives have a big challenge ahead of them. The 10 minority governments that Canada has seen have never lasted longer than two years, limited by their ability to get bills passed.
So unless the Conservatives are able to form a coalition with another party, another election could be on the horizon.
-CTV News
Whats everyone think about that? I think Bush is gonna be happy...
Canadians awarded Conservative Leader Stephen Harper with a minority government Monday, putting an end to more than 12 years of Liberal rule.
As of 1:15 a.m. ET, the Conservatives were in line to take 124 seats, versus 103 for Paul Martin's Liberals.
But prime minister designate Harper fell short of the 155 seats needed to lead a Tory majority, meaning he'll have to wheel and deal to woo at least one opposition party to support him in the 308-seat House of Commons.
Martin to step down
Addressing a roomful of cheering party faithful in his Quebec riding of LaSalle-Emard, Liberal Leader Paul Martin said: "There will be another chance, and there will be another time."
But that next chance won't come under his stewardship. Martin said he will continue representing his riding, but announced he will be stepping down as Liberal Leader, triggering what will likely be a heated leadership race.
"My dedication to the Liberal family will never wane," said Martin. "But I will not take our party into another election."
Martin said he had called Harper on the phone to congratulate him.
The Bloc Quebecois has won 51 seats, while the NDP currently sits at 29 -- 10 more than they held after the 2004 election.
Tory gains
Support for the Tories took off when the polls closed west of Atlantic Canada.
As expected, the Conservatives dominated in the West, taking most seats in the Prairies and sweeping all 28 seats in Alberta.
Public Safety Minister Anne McLellan could not hold on to Alberta's lone Liberal seat in Edmonton Centre. She was defeated by Tory Laurie Hawn, a former fighter pilot.
But it was in battleground Ontario where the Conservatives made a big breakthrough, seizing 40 seats after winning only 24 in the last election.
Canada's largest city, however, remained solidly Liberal with two exceptions: one that has fallen to NDP Leader Jack Layton, who won his Toronto-Danforth riding; another to Layton's wife Olivia Chow, who has won a seat in a Toronto riding for the New Democrats. The two have become the Commons' second husband-and-wife team.
Belinda Stronach, despite her notorious decision to cross the floor and prop up the Liberal government last year, coasted to victory in her riding north of Toronto.
In Quebec, the Conservatives seem to be making crucial gains in the province that shut them out in 2004.
Early results indicate the Tories are elected in eight ridings, while the Liberals are tied with the same number, and an independent candidate has secured one seat.
But the Tories didn't make the breakthrough they were hoping for in Atlantic Canada.
Although a late surge in the polls had the Conservative Party gaining momentum in Atlantic Canada, Paul Martin's Liberals managed to hang on to their traditional stronghold.
The Liberals won a majority in Atlantic Canada with 19 of the region's 32 seats -- compared to 10 for the Tories and three for the NDP.
Deputy Tory Leader Peter MacKay -- widely expected to get a high-profile cabinet post should the Conservatives win -- won re-election in his Nova Scotia riding of New Glasgow.
Former NDP leader Alexa McDonough was also re-elected in the Nova Scotia riding of Halifax.
Although there were concerns Liberal Public Works Minister Scott Brison could lose his Nova Scotia seat of Kings-Hants, he recaptured it easily. Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott also hung onto his Fredericton, N.B. riding.
All four major party leaders won their ridings.
Brian Mulroney, the last man to lead the Tories to power, praised Harper on Monday for leading the Tories to victory.
"It's a tremendous tribute to Stephen Harper for what he was able to do in bringing about tonight's victory," Mulroney told CTV from West Palm Beach, Fla.
Mulroney also gave Harper kudos for engineering the merger of the old Conservative party and the Canadian Alliance -- and then devising a campaign strategy and executing it flawlessly.
"Reaching out to Peter MacKay to unify the party, then to move the party to the centre, then to devise a campaign strategy and finally to execute it flawlessly, these are marks of leadership.
"And Stephen Harper demonstrated that leadership in a great degree.''
Mulroney said he was particularly thrilled with the gains the Tories were able to make in Quebec.
Indeed, the gains allow the Tory Party to claim that it's now truly a national party. But the Liberals faired better than pollsters expected.
"They're sticking around," said CTV's chief parliamentary correspondent, Craig Oliver.
"They'll be a significant opposition force, and in a good position to restore itself, to rebuild their credibility and rebuild they're party. But it'll have to do it under a new leader."
Balance of power
NDP Leader Jack Layton meanwhile, spent the final weeks of the campaign telling voters that his party was the only choice when it comes to protecting social programs and health care.
It seemed to have worked, with his party gaining stronger levels of support not seen since the 1980s.
Layton hailed his party's gains as a victory for "ordinary Canadians."
"Our Canada puts ordinary Canadians first, and tonight, ordinary Canadians by the millions put their trust in the NDP and took a big step forward."
Campaign review
Martin ended up in the fight of his political life against Harper. His Liberals took a pounding in the polls with voters upset over allegations of government scandal and a rash of urban gun violence, including a brazen Boxing Day shootout that killed a 15-year-old bystander in downtown Toronto.
Harper capitalized on those concerns, promising to get tough on corruption and to crack down on gun crime with mandatory minimum sentences.
Just before the New Year, the RCMP announced an investigation into an income trust announcement by the Liberals. That's when the Grits dropped sharply in the polls and the Conservatives rose -- at one point leading the Liberals by 18 points in a Strategic Counsel survey.
In the end, Harper succeeded in convincing voters that it was, in fact, time for change.
But although Harper never suggested it himself, Conservatives were hoping a majority was in the cards. In the end, Canadians may have heeded Martin's message of caution, trimming the Tories' power and forcing them to cooperate with other parties in the next Parliament.
The Conservatives have a big challenge ahead of them. The 10 minority governments that Canada has seen have never lasted longer than two years, limited by their ability to get bills passed.
So unless the Conservatives are able to form a coalition with another party, another election could be on the horizon.
-CTV News
Whats everyone think about that? I think Bush is gonna be happy...