Alternate Election 2005

The election of 2005 was a surprise on many levels, with many commentators stating it as an example of Paul Martins skill as a tactical politician as well as the strength of the Liberal Party. After 8 years of Liberal rule, signs of fatigue with the Government were beginning to show with the Canadian Voter.
The Economy had slowed, but was still considered by many to be strong, and poll after poll showed Liberal support still comfortable, but some voters began to search for an alternative to the Liberals, if only out of a thirst for change.

For the PC’s the last few years had been very troublesome. Many expected Mike Harris to resign after his poor election showing in 2001, but in a shock to the political establishment and the country he announced he would stay on. Yet inner turmoil in the PC party, primarily regarding Harris’s leadership, erupted in 2003 with a leadership challenge by Peter Mackay, the PC party’s critic on National Defence, and whom many considered a rising star in the party. Accepting the challenge, Harris narrowly defeated Mackay by the slimmest of margins, but at the same time failing to bring unity to the party he had won the honor of leading. Polls soon showed the PC’s sliding in the polls.

For Canada’s other Conservative Party, the Canadian Alliance, the future seemed bleak. After replacing Stockwell Day, who had lost his seat in the election, with Stephen Harper, commentators urged Harper to pursue a merger with the PC’s, many more suggested he simply fold up shop and give up. In 2002 Harper announced no merger or absorption of the party with the PC Party would happen under his leadership.

Meanwhile for the NDP and the Bloc, new leaders were chosen in the hopes of new momentum. For the NDP, Toronto City Counselor Jack Layton was named leader after defeating Alexa McDonough in a landslide. For the Bloc, Provincial Minister Andre Boisclair was chosen after a unanimous decision by the party executive. Polls showed increased support for both parties.

The Campaign began rather slowly, with polls showing the Governing Liberals with enough support to easily form yet another Majority Government. However many commentators pointed out that with the new number of party leaders, the third parties had the possibility of growth. As with the previous election, Mike Harris came out swinging, claiming that the Liberals had overstayed their welcome and had begun to show signs of corruption. Prime Minister Martin, believing that he would duplicate the results from last time, once again used the “Secrete Agenda” tagline on Harris and pointing out that he was so Conservative his own party didn’t want him, citing the leadership challenge by Peter MacKay. The newly minted leader of the NDP Jack Layton quickly attacked the government for what he called “putting the boardroom table ahead of the kitchen table” and polls quickly showed the NDP regaining what they had lost in the previous election, and then some. Meanwhile both the Bloc Leader and CA Leader focused on their respective area of Canada, Quebec and the West respectively.

With polls showing the governing Liberals beginning to lose support to the NDP and Bloc, the English debate quickly became the Prime Ministers chance to reclaim dominance in the campaign. From the outset the PM slammed Layton for his claims against the Liberals, stating that the economy had never been stronger, going as far to say that “Canadians should be thankful we came along when we did, or the economy would be in shambles today”. Layton quickly jumped on the line, using it to paint the PM as out of touch and spoiled while suggesting the NDP were the party that Canadians should really look at. Meanwhile PC leader Harris countered that only the Conservatives could defeat the Liberals and that a Harris Government would lower taxes for Canadians and would continue the practice of a balanced budget. CA leader Stephen Harper was moderately successful at painting Harris as an economic lightweight and whose policies would hurt the economy. Bloc Leader Boisclair refused to attend the English debate.

For the French debate, most commentators agreed Bloc Leader Boisclair failed to make much of an impression on the Quebec electorate, and as a result giving the Prime Minister the chance to regroup in Quebec as a result. Not much else is memorable from this debate, other than Mike Harris referring to Jack Layton as “Bon Jacque”

On Election Night the Liberals were reduced to a weakened Minority government, the first since Jean Charest’s in the 1990’s, falling to 136 seats and 37.3% of the vote. The Conservatives on the other hand faced yet another disappointing election result, increasing only .02% in the popular vote and winning only 96 seats, up 6. Overall the seat increase were far from what the party faithful had hoped for considering the circumstance, and in most cases wins were due to NDP surges, splitting the vote in the majority of Conservative Victories. Many commentators agreed that the PC’s could have done much better. In his concession speech, Mike Harris thanked his supporters and announced that he would resign effective immediately. Bloc Leader Boisclair faced similar results, winning only 3 more seats than last time and actually falling in the popular vote to 8.7%. CA leader Harper managed to retain his parties 3 seats and raising his support to 5.1%. Most political commentators agreed the biggest winner of the night was Jack Layton and the NDP, going from 0 seats to 36 and increasing their popular vote to 15%.

All in all the election of 2005 resulted in a bloodied Prime Minister with a weakened hold on his party, a leaderless PC Party in search of a champion and a strengthened NDP. To put it plainly, to say the upcoming Parliament would be unstable would be an understatement.