Canada's Conservatives projected to win election

Full AP story here.

Oct 14th, 2008 OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the first major world leader to face voters since the global financial meltdown, led his Conservative Party to victory in Tuesday's election, Canadian national media projected after the polls closed. . . .

The opposition Liberals have traditionally been the party in power, forming the government for most of Canada's 141 years. But the left-of-center vote was divided among four parties, giving an edge to the Conservative Party.

The party winning the most seats generally forms the government, with its leader becoming prime minister. The opposition parties could unite and topple Harper if they won enough seats for a majority, but analysts said that was unlikely because the parties have no tradition of forming such coalitions. . . .

Liberal leader Stephane Dion's campaign was hindered by his unpopular plan to tax all fossil fuels except gasoline and by perceptions he is a weak leader. A former professor from French-speaking Quebec, Dion also suffered in other regions because he frequently mangles English grammar and his accent makes him hard to understand. . . .

"Americans are running deficits. We're running surpluses. Americans are incurring debt. We're paying down debt," Harper said. "We have the lowest unemployment rate in 30 years ... We have a better economic situation than the United States because, for two and a half years, we have made better choices." . . .

Recent polls indicated Harper had shored up support in the past week as he argued he was the best candidate to manage the economy and that Dion's proposed carbon tax would hurt the economy.

Opponents sought to paint Harper as a right-winger who would seek to reshape Canada like a U.S.-style Republican and sought to tie him to the unpopular President Bush. . . .

Harper supported the U.S.-led war in Iraq when he was in the opposition in 2003. Dion was part of the Liberal government that opposed the war. . . .

Many expect Dion to be removed as party leader if he loses the election.

If Dion was ousted as leader after a loss, he would be just the second Liberal leader to fail to become Canada's prime minister. The only other was Edward Blake, who led the party to defeat in the 1882 and 1887 elections.

I trust Canada knows what it's doing. (Sounds like they need a new Liberal leader.) See here ("Harper, Bush Share Roots in Controversial Philosophy--Close advisers schooled in 'the noble lie' and 'regime change.'")