"Don't cry for Canada"

[GreenPartyVoter]

After the 2004 presidential election in the United States, a lot of liberal Americans looked longingly to the north. Canada, the theory went, was a social democracy with a sane foreign policy and humane values that offered a genuine alternative to the right-wing hegemony that the U.S. was about to experience.

But, this week, U.S. television networks and newspapers declared: "Canadians Tilts Right" and "Conservatives Capture Canada."

As shorthand for the election results that saw Canada's Conservative party outpoll the governing Liberal Party for the first time since Ronald Reagan served in the White House, those headlines may be useful.

But the claim that Canada has lurched far to the right is anything but accurate.

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0126-23.htm

[LittleOne]

1. I saw headlines like that and had to laugh....

Obviously the repukes didn't actually talk to a real live Canadian.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Obviously. *g* Of course, I already knew this because I read

posts from Canadians here on DU who explained what everything meant as soon as the results were in, but this article was so well-thought out I just had to post it.

[LittleOne]

3. It is a very good article...

I still haven't called home to get the family reaction but since the NDP made strides my Dad should be thrilled.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. Well, let us know what your folks think, and welcome to DU :^)

[LittleOne]

5. I will and thanks for the welcome.

[enigmatic]

6. The DU hysterical wailing choir struck again this week

That's a great article.

I'm an expat living in Canada, and all Monday's election did was hand the CPC a weak minority government that will be unable to do anything but govern in the middle, if that.

The NDP and Liberals have the votes to override any bill the CPC tries to ram through Parliament, and can call a no-confidence vote at any time.

This government will be lucky to last 12 months.

And the NDP and Liberals garnered 48% of the vote to the CPC's 36 percent, and that's not even counting The Bloc. The world is not ending up here, folks.

[Spazito]

7. Well said, that is exactly the case

It is the equivalent of bush having to get Kennedy and Kucinich to agree before he can get anything passed and if he tried without them he would lose his presidency.

Canadians gave Harper a BIG collar attached to a VERY SHORT leash.

[enigmatic]

9. yep

The Liberals took the first step in getting new blood w/ Martin stepping down from the Leadership; that's a step that had to be made.

Anytime the CPC makes gains I'm concerned, but this isn't a revolution of any kind happening, as much as The CPC and US Media would like you to believe.

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. Yeah, if only our Capitol was filled with the same breakdown as

the Canadian Parliament. The Repubs would never get anything radical done as long as the Dems, Greens, and Socialists (or what have you) outnumbered them.

[enigmatic]

10. I invite everyone to go to the Canada Forum here on DU

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=190

There are some excellent threads discussing the election and the aftermath; we'd all be happy to answer any questions anyone has about what happened Monday..

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Thanks *wave*

[Canuckistanian]

12. If I was worried, I wouldn't be here...

I'm taking a wait-and-see attitude. There's nothing revolutionary here.

Not like it was when Mike Harris and his brownshirts took over Ontario.

[GreenPartyVoter]

13. I'd still feel safer in Canada than here, that's for sure.

[Vidar]

14. We love you regardless, Canada.