Six months ago, or even six weeks ago, it seemed almost unthinkable that the election result would be anything other than a Liberal majority. But last night, the Liberals managed to win only a slim minority government after several weeks of tight polls, and a palpable sense of shock that their hold on power hung in the air.
The campaign was particularly negative and this was certainly unfortunate. Both the Liberals and the Conservatives spent far too much time telling voters why they should distrust the other party. Canadians should have been treated to a much more civil debate. Subsequently, voter cynicism appeared to be quite high throughout the campaign.
The close result should send a strong message to the Liberals that the electorate is prepared to hold them able for their actions. That every major party gained seats at the expense of the Liberals suggests many Canadians are dissatisfied with the status quo.
Promoting ethics and ability in government should be Martin’s top priority. He will need to demonstrate that the Liberals will have a zero tolerance policy toward government patronage and financial scandals.
Martin will also have to quickly adjust to governing without a majority. Given the current political climate, a minority government is the best thing for Canada because it will force Martin to compromise with the opposition. If he cannot, Canadians may find themselves returning to the polls sooner than they might like.
The strong showing of the Conservative Party is a promising development. Canada has not had a viable opposition at the federal level for over a decade and some healthy competition should help keep the Liberals in check.
Hopefully, Martin gets the message that the Liberals cannot take being in government for granted. While the Liberals did manage to scrape out a victory, Martin should be humbled by his surprising decline in . If he does, then Canadians will be all the better for it.
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