Conservatives Win in Canadian Election

A stronger minority
Liberals suffer major losses as voters return Harper as PM
By BRUCE CHEADLE The Canadian Press
Wed. Oct 15 – 11:58 AM

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper delivers his speech at his election headquarters after winning a second minority government on Tuesday. (TOM HANSON / CP)

OTTAWA — Stephen Harper’s Conservatives won a muscular minority mandate Tuesday night as Canadian voters entrusted the prime minister with the levers of government in tough economic times — but not a blank cheque.

The outcome saw the Liberals sink to their lowest level of pop­ular support since the election of 1867 — and surely means a third change of leadership in five years for what was long dubbed Cana­da’s natural governing party.

The Conservatives were head­ed for 143 seats, up from 124 in the last election, while the Liberals were down to 77 from 103. The NDP was up by nine seats to 38 and the Bloc Quebecois shed two seats to 48. Two Independents also won.

If Harper is expecting an easy ride in 2009, the economy may dictate otherwise.

How long before Canadians re­turn to the polls — this was the third election in four years — could well rest upon the Conser­vative minority’s ability to avoid a deficit next year in the face of slumping revenues and increas­ing social costs.

Harper said late in the cam­paign that a second minority would automatically give him a stronger mandate than his first, but NDP Leader Jack Layton weighed in with a warning late Tuesday.

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Mackinnon’s Cartoon