October 19, 2015-the day that Canada changed for the better

[Shaka Zulu]

Stephen Harper was beaten last night by Justin Trudeau, who is now Prime Minister of Canada.

Those Canadian here, and those American that follow Canadian politics closely, can all cheer if you want to-I know that I am doing so.

Here's news about the win, from Canada first:

Trudeau wins election, makes a speech

British reaction, from The Guardian

American reaction, from The Wall Street Journal

Canadian coverage of the victory speech from CTV:

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CR6TunciN4[/yt]

Apologies if this has already been posted.

 

[Karzak]

I credit everyone's favorite Canadian, Marty McFly.

 

[Jedi_Master]

I always get confused because in America red is the color for Republicans (Conservatives) and blue is the color for Democrats (Liberals).

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Is Harper really that bad?

 

[Shaka Zulu]

^Here's the list.

 

[MacLeod]

I always get confused because in America red is the color for Republicans (Conservatives) and blue is the color for Democrats (Liberals).

Blue is the colour of the Conservatives in the UK, strictly speaking Yellow is the colour of the Liberal Party in the UK with Red for Labour, but I digress.

Sometimes a change in the party of Government can be a good thing, it all depends on what direction that is taken. However the proof of the pudding is in the tasting as they say and it is how the country is doing several years into its term. Parties can promise the world during an election it is how they live upto their manifesto that they are in part judged on at the next election.

 

[Skywalker]

I always get confused because in America red is the color for Republicans (Conservatives) and blue is the color for Democrats (Liberals).

Like with a lot of things, we here in America do political colors ass-backwards from most of the rest of the world.

 

[MANT!]

I thought that Harper was getting a bit..over impressed with his own importance,
after all he tried to directly influence the US Government on the Keystone pipeline.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/09/26/stephen-harper-keystone-pipeline-new-york_n_3993549.html

My view is that you don't take no for an answer," Harper said. "We haven't had that. If we were to get that, that won't be final. This won't be final until it's approved and we will keep pushing forward."

IOW he tried to play hardball with the US, just goes to show how impressed he was with himself.. he was bound to fall with that level of arrogance throughout his government..

Heck I hate it when the US plays hardball..it never bodes well..

congrats...Canada

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Congratulations.

 

[Shaka Zulu]

^Thanks.

 

[cooleddie74]

I always get confused because in America red is the color for Republicans (Conservatives) and blue is the color for Democrats (Liberals).

Like with a lot of things, we here in America do political colors ass-backwards from most of the rest of the world.

As late as the 1992 Election Night coverage on NBC News, though, Democratic (Bill Clinton) states on the electoral map were represented by red and Republican (George Bush the Elder) states were blue. It wasn't until later in the Nineties and then solidified in our national consciousness and culture by the 2000 election and the complete mess that was the Florida recount that blue became synonymous with the Democrats and red the Republicans.

If you go back to the 1980 election's coverage Ronald Reagan's national landslide was one big blue map with a few random red spots here and there representing President Carter's handful of states. These days the idea of an electoral map with 44 blue states is almost outlandish given the polarized nature of American politics.

 

[EmoBorg]

I always get confused because in America red is the color for Republicans (Conservatives) and blue is the color for Democrats (Liberals).

Like with a lot of things, we here in America do political colors ass-backwards from most of the rest of the world.

As late as the 1992 Election Night coverage on NBC News, though, Democratic (Bill Clinton) states on the electoral map were represented by red and Republican (George Bush the Elder) states were blue. It wasn't until later in the Nineties and then solidified in our national consciousness and culture by the 2000 election and the complete mess that was the Florida recount that blue became synonymous with the Democrats and red the Republicans.

If you go back to the 1980 election's coverage Ronald Reagan's national landslide was one big blue map with a few random red spots here and there representing President Carter's handful of states. These days the idea of an electoral map with 44 blue states is almost outlandish given the polarized nature of American politics.

I think it was the late Tim Russert who played a major role in assigning the current colors for both parties. He was the one who coined the terms red states, blue states.

 

[cooleddie74]

The 2000 election was so divisive that those maps and their colors became a part of our national identity. These days it's just unheard of to color a conservative state blue on Election Night or a liberal-leaning one red, and even House district and Senate maps follow the same color designation.

 

[T'Girl]

It all started when Republicans began to wear red neck ties.

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

I always choose to remain neutral about who I vote for. I will say that I know many people who consider Canada to be ruined now that Trudeau has won. Time will tell.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

If I was Canadian, I'd be a Harper supporter (plus, on a completely unrelated matter, my youngest niece is named Harper ), but I hold no ill will against them or Trudeau for this. Trudeau seems like a good man.

And I still love Canada, even after this.

 

[Avro Arrow]

Those Canadian here, and those American that follow Canadian politics closely, can all cheer if you want to-I know that I am doing so.

Cheering here, too!

Personally, I'm very glad to see Harper on his way out.

No ill will intended to any CPC supporters, of course.

I will say that I know many people who consider Canada to be ruined now that Trudeau has won.

Sure, there's always going to be that kind of sentiment from the side that doesn't win. People said the same thing back in 2011 when Harper won his majority. (Not the same people, obviously! )

Time will tell.

Yeah, it usually does! (Seriously, though, eventually enough of the population will tire of the Liberals, too, and we'll swing back the other way again...)

 

[cooleddie74]

That's democracy. Here in the States we elected Democratic Presidents five times in a row in the '30s and '40s, men who battled the Great Depression, established much of the modern American safety net and led us to victory in war and the status of a world superpower. Their leadership of America was arguably some of (if not the) greatest of the 20th century.

When 1952 rolled around we awarded the Democratic nominee that year and the anointed successor to the FDR-Truman legacy with a mere nine states in the electoral college and gave a landslide victory to the Republican Party, who took over not only the Presidency for the first time in 20 years but also reacquired control over Congress. Democracies - no matter how successful, respected or even beloved a ruling party is or how long they've been in power - eventually get tired of the people running the government and give the other side a shot.

Sooner or later, the Conservatives or somebody else will take over. That's politics.

 

[Timewalker]

Stephen Harper was beaten last night by Justin Trudeau, who is now Prime Minister of Canada.

Those Canadian here, and those American that follow Canadian politics closely, can all cheer if you want to-I know that I am doing so.

Here's news about the win, from Canada first:

Trudeau wins election, makes a speech

British reaction, from The Guardian

American reaction, from The Wall Street Journal

Canadian coverage of the victory speech from CTV:

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CR6TunciN4[/yt]

Apologies if this has already been posted.

The Wall Street Journal article is subscribers-only.

The Guardian articles are interesting, though, and I see some coverage about Tony Turner that I haven't read yet.

Is Harper really that bad?

Yes.

Let me put it this way: For over three decades, Brian Mulroney was in the top spot for the title of Worst Prime Minister Ever. I absolutely detested him, and so did millions of other Canadians.

Harper surpassed that easily. Not even Brian Mulroney inspired as much hatred and loathing.

I don't know of one protest song against Brian Mulroney. But type "Stephen Harper protest songs" into a YouTube search and you get a playlist of over 100 anti-Harper songs and videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OyMmJXj-Uo&list=PL_IAxZRv65FMjHzSDtpxRrMeBXxObGwya

I always choose to remain neutral about who I vote for. I will say that I know many people who consider Canada to be ruined now that Trudeau has won. Time will tell.

It's amazing how quickly the paid Conservative posters have disappeared from the CBC.ca comment pages. They're out of a job now, and it's really nice not to be greeted with quite so much nastiness when logging in there. What's left is mostly people who are genuinely bitter about the Liberal win, and their sour grapes comments are along the lines of "Canada has elected a child to run the country" (Justin Trudeau is 43 years old, and will be 44 in December; not the youngest PM - that was Joe Clark, a Conservative PM elected in 1979), they refer to him as a "kid" and sneer at him for his past career as a teacher, saying he "hasn't worked a day in his life" or has never held a "real job". Of course, this isn't sitting well with the commenters who are teachers and not happy to see their profession being denigrated like this.

If I was Canadian, I'd be a Harper supporter (plus, on a completely unrelated matter, my youngest niece is named Harper ), but I hold no ill will against them or Trudeau for this. Trudeau seems like a good man.

And I still love Canada, even after this.

Why would you support Harper?


I have mixed feelings about these results. I'm really happy that Harper is gone, but a bit let down that it had to come at the expense of the NDP. Still, the "Heave Steve"/ABC/strategic voting movement was necessary, to remove this blight on our country. Trudeau has promised electoral reform, so hopefully next time people will feel more free to vote their consciences instead of strategizing to get rid of someone hell-bent on remaking the country in his own twisted image.

 

[cooleddie74]

Yeah, Joe Clark was just 39 when he defeated Pierre Trudeau in the 1979 elections and became Prime Minister. He turned 40 during his short tenure in office, making him the youngest PM in Canadian history.

John Kennedy was elected President here at the age of 43 years, 5 months and a handful of days and took office two months later. Trudeau is currently about five months older than JFK was when he was elected.