THERE WAS something for almost everyone in Monday night's Canadian election result. The Conservatives ended thirteen years in opposition and won victory. The Liberals were spared the humiliation many had feared. And the left-leaning New Democrats scored impressive gains.
Almost everyone: The separatist Bloc Quebecois have to be disappointed with their showing. Although they won two-thirds of Quebec's seats, their count was down from the last election.
More tellingly, their vote-share showed an impressive drop. The Conservatives, meanwhile, surged in Quebec, presenting federalists in that province with an option to the Liberals. 'Soft nationalists' Quebeçois, who want more provincial autonomy but not necessarily independence, may gravitate to the Conservatives. Independence may get put on Quebec's back burner once again.
For now, the Conservatives will govern on a short lease. This will please most Canadians, who feared the party's pro-American right-wing. For us in the Caribbean, this will also be welcome, since it spares us anxiety about sharp changes in Canada's foreign policy.
The Canadians, in general, are not given to bold, foreign policy interventions, and yet, because of developments outside their own borders, they may find themselves pulled into uncharted waters.
Given the movements of peoples within and across borders, issues of personal and national security are gaining increasing importance globally. The extent to which Ottawa deepens its relationship with its more paranoid neighbours to the south, is the greater the likelihood it will find itself moving to implement policies in line with Washington's dictates.
In any event, within two years, Canada will likely return to the polls. That is about the average time-frame of minority governments in Canada. Between now and then, the deposed Liberals will have probably cleaned up their act. But so, too, may the Conservatives have shown themselves capable to govern.
Either way, by avoiding bold gestures, Canadians have likely assured that they will preserve a government with which they and we can be comfortable. What is a good result for Canada can fairly be described as an equally good result for her friends.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
