Maybe they'll privatize liquor sales and car insurance.

As that would benefit ordinary people it is unlikely to happen.

Still, I'm easily bought. If I can save cash on booze then I for one would welcome our new Harperite overlords.

None of that will happen. Mr. Layton says he will keep the government in check and I believe him

There are lots of "the debil is commin" types on here.

The NDP got the benefit of a protest vote in Quebec, that is soft support with elected candidates disturbingly low on competence. Glad that the BLOQ got their asses kicked and the Liberals too. A good humbling is exactly what the Liberals needed. They even lost some of their stronghold support in TO, simply through ignorance. The Liberals should regroup, get a competent leader and get back into the game. If they play their cards right there is no reason why they can't be at least the runner up in the next election.

As others have mentioned, a merger with the NDP would likely scare off at least half of the liberal party and the support they have. However on the other hand, their 34 MP's are collectively much more competent than the 102 (of which about 70 or so are lucky twits) that the NDP have. The liberals would be calling the shots if they merged. I don't think Jack wants to merge either, he knows that his candidates are very weak and would be dominated by the liberal MP's.

Got your province/feds mixed up. But would that make you a fan if Harper declared private liquor and car insurance sales in BC? Bet it would make Ally cat 2005 a believer.

It could be worse. You could live in the UK...

I wonder, though, whether Harper will govern like someone just right of Attilla the Hun. He has all those Liberal voters in key seats - who will be full of self-loathing today - to keep happy over the next four years. They could come back if he/the Tories don't throw them many bones. The base is still there feeling rather sh*t/stupid today.

I realize that you're being ironic. But Layton is utterly irrelevant. He can blow as much smoke as he likes, but Harper has a majority and absolutely no sense of moral responsibility. He'll do whatever he likes.

Or the US.

No I haven't, if the federal government wants the provinces to do something they have both carrots and sticks on hand to facilitate congenial legislation.

How is Mr. Layton going to keep him in check?

Last time I looked the Conservatives had 12 (167) more seats than the minimum required (155) to form a majority government.

The NDP has official opposition status (102 seats) but that isn't going to stop Harper from doing whatever he wants.

Not going to happen. If you believe it will then you are way more naive than I gave you credit for.

It's funny * how these things turn out.

Layton has, in one stroke, his greatest achievement becoming leader of the opposition and his worst nightmare of a majority Harper government.

At the same time he went from king maker to being utterly irrelevant.

* not really.

Of course its not going to happen anytime soon, its just wishful thinking. Canada's political culture is far too backward and moralistic for innovation and change.

I bet if you offered a pint to some of the good folks on the downtown east side you could get a decent protest going.

Someone on here once said that Canada is nine different countries with one federal government. Unfortunately there's a lot of truth in that. Way too much provincial rivalry, federal provincial rivalry and power been given to the provinces that they are unwilling to give up.