Date: Tue, 28 Nov 2000 00:10:11 -0500 From: Craig McKie <cmckie at ottawa.com> To: pagre at ucla.edu Subject: Canadian election
Phil
I am pleased to report that we collectively have produced a stable majority government tonight with:
1. a moderately progressive government for the next four years
2. with all five parties retaining enough seats to retain official party status, their leaders having all been personally elected
3. with the authoritarian right confined to the margins and politically impotent on the national stage
4. after a 5 week campaign
5. with a total ban on soft money advertising for the first time
6. with no exit polls
7. with paper ballots and cheap Chinese pencils
8. with a turnout rate of at least 70%
9. with an effective ban on media coverage on all results until all polls closed across 4 1/2 time zones, with staggered poll opening and closing hours which actually worked this time
10. an election where anyone,for the first time whether registered or not, could walk into their local polling place with ID or even a neighbour to vouch for their identity, and vote. This was done so that homeless people could vote.
11. And finally, on a personal note, two Carleton sociology graduates ran two of the three major polls (I went to school with the other pollster) and had the result bang on. Zogby also a poll from New York and also was bang on.
This is all a huge relief and should be a source of pride for all Canadians. The bitterness of the campaign stops tonight; it will all be gone in days. I only wish we could lend you all some of the pixie dust. It consists of a preeminent concern with preserving community services and the values that underlie them. It has never been much in evidence in the last 225 years in republic due south of the 49th parallel.
May you find peace, order, and good government some day.
CM