And Canada votes for change
An hour into the results and we know Canada has voted for change and the next Government will be a Conservative minority Government.
It has been a significant change but not a landslide with the Liberals looking to get just over 100 seats and the Conservatives 120ish.
No major upsets so far. Still 50 seats awaiting a final result.
UPDATE: Barrie (where I was) had been neck and neck but Patrick is now ahead by 1,100 votes with 242/27 poll areas in. Well done Patrick – your hard work paid off.
UPDATE2: Yay and Sam Bulte has been defeated. She has basically been in the pockets of the movie industry with big Hollywood fundraisers to bankroll her campaign, while she implements their agenda. Ross Radar has some details. She slammed Professor Michael Geist as representing pro-user zealots and heh the zealots have won!
UPDATE3: I’m at the Canadian High Commission. Some of the staff are practising saying “Prime Minister Stephen Harper” so it comes naturally đ It is quite remarkable he is PM-elect as he was demonised so effectively in 2004.
UPDATE4: Paul Martin has just conceded to Harper. Some thought he might try and hold on through negotiations but he isn’t. All official now. Harpier is PM-elect.
UPDATE5: Martin has just announced his resignation as Liberal Party Leader.
UPDATE6: Looks like I was not the only person impressed with Helena Guergis. She won her seats by exactly 100 votes in 2004 and her majority has shot through the roof to around 12,000!
UPDATE7: Stephen Harper has emerged in Calgary to accept the victory. Audience going wild. Harper is naturally looking very happy.
UPDATE8: Final results looks like Conservatives 124 (+26) (I predicted 130 this morning), Liberals 103 (-30), Bloc Quebec 51 (-2), NDP 29 (+11) and one independent (-3). The BQ hold the balance of power.
UPDATE9: A final result for Barrie. Patrick Brown for 23,999 votes beating incumbent Cabinet Minister Aileen Carroll by 1,523 votes. Yay yay yay.