Lame.... status quo just wastes Canadians’ millions. Thanks Mr. Prime Minister; good decisive call.

Will, Ottawa, ON

I'm still thinking this election has been a waste of time and money.  The government could have been sitting and functioning during the financial crisis and it wasn't.  As a future police officer, I hope that the opposition parties oppose Harper's proposal to begin sending children to prison with adults.  It's a ridiculous idea and cannot be allowed to pass.  Now that all three opposition parties would have to band together to defeat Conservative Legislation, I hope they gang up on Harper's brand of "tough on crime" legislation. 

Allister, Nova Scotia

It’s been a pure pleasure watching your coverage of the election; hats off you Mr. Van Dusen and your guests. I am very pleased with the election results.

Also, a bonus in my area, it looks like Gary Lunn, Saanich Gulf Islands who had my vote is leading and also Dr. Keith Martin, a Liberal who has my respect, is leading in his riding of Juan de Fuca.  If both of these MPs return to Parliament I will be very pleased.

Glad the Conservatives are at the helm again.

Diane, Victoria, BC

I am a young voter (I'll turn 20 by the end of the month), and I am a former Youth Officer for the Chatham-Kent Essex NDP Riding association. There was a time when I very profoundly believed in the political process and, at one time, it was my goal to one day run for office. But the recent onslaught of negative politics has soured the whole political process for me - and, in my opinion, Jack Layton has been the worst for this. I heard more about why to vote against someone then for. Young people are already tired to politics.

My question is simply this. How can you expect young people to participate in a system, when the system is already making young people frown on it?

Matt

It is clear that Conservatives did not win in Quebec due to Culture cut and crime issue.
What was the need for Harper to introduce it?  It is an issue which did not give any gains for Conservatives else where but resulted in a heavy loss in Quebec.  Was it not a totally childish act?

Neil

I am just curious as to why your commentators are suggesting that Harper has a much stronger Mandate.  While it is true that he has picked up seats, his popular vote remains only marginally higher than his result in 2006 which was 36.3%.  Current count as of (11:20 pm) shows that Harper has a popular vote of 37.5%.  Even if it hits 40% by the end of the night, 60% of Canadians still voted against the Prime Minister and remain to the left of Mr. Harper's party.

I don't see a major shift in support for Mr. Harper, just the results of the parties on the Left having to take their turn eating lumps of vote splitting just as the PC/Reform folks had to sit and eat their lumps while Jean Chretien was running the country with just over 40% of the vote ('93 and '00 elections). 

Mike, Oakville, ON

I think it is interesting that there is such a lack of support for the under-parties. There has been disappointment aplenty with the Conservatives and Liberals in the past, yet the Canadian public seems inclined to support these two parties above the rest. I myself am a supporter of the green party, not only because their platform is practical and focuses on major topics being addressed presently worldwide (environment), but also because they address several issues that seem to relate more to healthcare and education. As a university student I strongly support the fifty percent cut in tuition which is one of the ideas of the green party. The shock I feel is found in the lack of support for the Green Party as they represent us students. I wonder why the students of Canada don't jump on the opportunity to possibly have less debt at the end of their university career.

1. The weakened Liberal seat count, in conjunction with their published financial woes will result in a continuation of the situation that we witnessed in the spring where the Liberals offered no real opposition to the Government.
 2. M. Duceppe was correct. The Bloc was successful in stopping a majority. Another dozen seats for the Conservatives from Quebec, as appeared possible from the beginning of the election, are all that have stood in the way.

Paul, Ottawa, Ontario

The Right united and has become the minority because Canada is a Left-of-center society. The Liberals, NDP, Green & BQ need to come together (and overcome their collective ego) and Form the Progressive Party of Canada. They will govern from now until eternity! Or, tonight will be repeated every two years!

Ken

Can anyone tell me how Quebec can have a Liberal and a Bloc party running for the same votes?  The Liberals I can see because they're running national, but the Block only runs provincially. The Bloc party stole the Conservative majority and can still be in opposition in the House of Commons.  Why is this allowed? Even the Green party ran National!  Ontario should have its own party.
 
Glen

Contrary to all the negatives of the "analysts", the fact that Stephen Harper:
a) was first elected to Parliament as leader of the Reform Party in 2002,
b) engineered the coming together of the Reform and Progressive Conservative Parties in 2003 and being elected as its leader in 2004,
c) forming a government albeit a minority one in January 2006 serving for 2.5 years, and
d) is forming the government with a larger minority in October 2008

... does say much about the man.

To have your "analysts" suggest that his leadership should be reviewed should cause your "analysts" to give their head a real good shake.

Have them name one other in our Canadian history that was able to accomplish so much in such a short time.  A bit of reality is needed to sweep away the habitual Liberal arrogance that is consistently propounded.  Thank goodness we have such a great and courageous Canadian.

Tom, Winnipeg, MB

I don't think that this rise in Conservative seats shows any real mandate, but the total disliking of Liberal leadership. Many Liberal MPs have lost their seats because of the lack of competent leadership of Stephane Dion. The same reason goes for the increase in NDP seats.  It was really an 'anybody but Dion election.'

Tom, Port-Moody/Westwood riding, BC

Regional parties should be banned from federal elections. Boo to the Quebec Bloc for dividing Canada.