I Did NOT See This Coming

   And many other political watchers didn't either. Canadians went to the polls last night, and voted for change. And rather than elect a minority Conservative, Liberal or NDP government, they went with a Liberal majority under Justin Trudeau

   Mr. Trudeau's Liberals won a majority, and not with the 170 seats needed. They swept up 184 seats in total. It marks the return of a Trudeau to 24 Sussex Drive, some 35 years after his late father Pierre was Prime Minister of Canada. It also marked the first time in Canadian political history that a party in 3rd place in the Commons vaulted to form government in just 4 years.
   It also marked the end of the Conservative Party of Canada's grip on power under Stephan Harper

   The Conservatives went from 159 seats at dissolution in August to 99. And while Mr. Harper easily kept his seat in Calgary, he resigned as leader of the party shortly after it's electoral defeat.
   But the biggest losers last night were the NDP under Tom Mulcair

      The NDP were on the cusp of becoming the first NDP government in Canadian history. Voters, particularly in Quebec where they had a break-through in 2011, rejected them. The party had 95 seats going in to the election, 56 in Quebec. They were left with 44 after the ballots were cast, going from official opposition to 3rd party status in the process. Mr. Mulcair was re-elected
   Rounding things out: The Bloc Quebecois increased their seat count from 2 to 10, but leader Gilles Duceppe lost his riding. And Green party leader Elizabeth May was successful in her re-election bid, but the party held just the 1 seat.
   To say the winds of change were blowing Monday, October 19, 2015 is an understatement. It was a hurricane that devastated 2 political parties, and brought the Liberals back to power.
   Now it will be interesting to see what happens in the next few weeks as Mr. Trudeau picks his cabinet, and the Conservatives look for a new leader.
   Finally, I'd like to congratulate all the winning candidates last night, regardless of political stripe. It takes a real sense of civic duty and a belief that you can change things for the better to run for public office, and suffer the barbs from your opponents both political and in society generally, because there are always some who are unhappy with any outcome. Thank you for your service to your community, your region and your country.

TTFN