Congrats to the Conservatives and NDP for running an extremely successful 2011 campaign. Both parties were finally able to reach milestones that may have been long overdue! While both parties consider themselves winners, one must question the validity of the sudden rise of the NDP.
I am a firm believer that elections can never be won; rather, they are lost! If people are happy and confident with the running party, no charismatic leader will sway them elsewhere. On the other hand, if the public is unhappy with the current regime, than change is likely going to take place. There is no better example of this than the recent elections in Quebec. The rise of the NDP in Quebec was more of a protest against the Bloc than it was in support of Layton and his minions.
All parties attempt to have a representative in each riding during elections. To show that they are national party, they may fill in students and less qualified candidates in ridings that are considered impossible to win. We can see this by analyzing the "quality" of candidates the NDP organized to run in the province:
1) Many elected officials failed to campaign in their riding
2) 5 McGill students campaigned and were elected to parliament
3) Some failed to speak French
A perfect example of this is Ruth Ellen Brosseau. Brosseau is a former bartender that was elected in the riding of Berthier-Masinonge. What amazes me is that she was able to have such a successful campaign even though she does not live in her riding (let alone the province), she failed to campaign, she left for Las Vegas the week before the election, and she can not speak French!
For years Quebecers have been unhappy with the way the Bloc has handled themselves in Parliament. The NDP has provided the Quebecers with a Federalist-party that runs on the socialist ideas that they hold dear.What I am trying to say here is that while the NDP should celebrate their new found success, they must remember that they did not win Quebec...the Bloc lost it!
flush out
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