YORKTON - The numbers have changed, but the end result remains the same.
The Liberals will remain in power in Ottawa, albeit again needing to rely on others to sway votes in their favour when a majority is needed.
On the surface that suggests a highly status quo result, but it doesn’t take much of a closer look to see this result is significantly different in many ways.
Recognizing that the numbers are not yet etched in stone as this is written early Tuesday morning, Liberal leader Mark Carney has managed something of a Phoenix-rising effort, taking the party mired in the pools under Justin Trudeau just a few months ago, back to power actually gaining a handful of seats finishing with what looks like 168 seats – four short of a majority..
The Conservatives gained even more, 25 likely, to sit with 144, but are still on the opposition side of Parliament, minus party leader Pierre Poilevre who lost his own seat, which is rather telling the party may have turned to the wrong person to lead it to power.
The Green Party secured one seat which is another interesting side note to the results.
With two parties gaining seats, there had to be losers too.
The NDP were hammered hard dropping 18 seats, to only seven, with the Bloc Quebecois losing 11 and now sitting with 23.
Overall the results suggest a polarizing vote, between those wanting to stay the course and those seeking change – although one shouldn’t downplay the effect of US Donald Trump’s continuing rhetoric as he clearly covets Canada and thereby threatens our sovereignty.
Therein lies a message for Prime Minister Carney and all five parties as they head back to work – Canada needs a government focused on standing up to the tariff-bullying Trump, and on strengthening relations with our remaining allies around the world.
That effort needs a unified Canada for Canada voice, and that means a willingness for parties to actually work together.
Canada does not need an opposition focused on nothing but criticism and dreams of forcing another election as soon as possible.
Canada also does not need a government too arrogant to recognize there is an obvious split in the minds of voters, and so listening to the ideas from across the House cannot be a foreign concept.
Working together is something political parties in Parliament have never been very good at – but given the current corner much of the world is being painted into by Trump threats and tariffs a level of co-operation is needed now to create legislation which strengthens our ability to thrive as a country in spite of the American president.
