Gerard Kennedy versus Peggy Nash in Parkdale-High Park: the huggiest grudge match ever
Like so many ridings in the 416, Parkdale-High Park is hosting a showdown between the Liberals and the NDP while the Tories and the Greens duke it out for third place. What’s odd about this district, however, is that it might actually change hands on May 2—and both of the viable candidates have “re-elect” signs (the NDP put orange tape over the “re-” without being forced to the way the Liberals were elsewhere). Liberal incumbent Gerard Kennedy took Parkdale-High Park from the NDP’s Peggy Nash in 2008 by 3,000 votes, and Nash is back for a rematch. Like in Trinity-Spadina—the one other downtown riding that may swing—this is a fight between the left and the really left. The knives aren’t out, but the fight is interesting nonetheless, especially with the NDP’s numbers on the rise across the country. Here, we talk to Kennedy and Nash about what’s at stake for Parkdale-High Park.
Over the course of our interviews, the candidates gave their sharpest responses when the issue of the air-rail link from Union Station to Pearson Airport was raised. As we’ve discussed before, the community is in a bit of an uproar over the province’s decision not to electrify the line until after the 2015 Pan Am games. Nash says, “I’ve been pressuring the federal government to spend the money we need to build it right the first time.” She says an NDP government would introduce a national transit plan set in law and transfer more money to cities to deal with their transit problems. Trying to win Toronto votes with transit spending? Where have we heard that before?
Kennedy agrees that the relationship between Metrolinx and the community around the air-rail link has at times been “ridiculous.” “I think Metrolinx has been sluggish. If I’d been in the government, I’d have to take responsibility,” he says. “There’s two points though: they have committed to electrification, and the local movement, the couple or three ridings, have been taken over by the NDP and used for partisan purposes.” Kennedy says he’s had a hard time trying to get groups like the Clean Train Coalition to give him the time of day, much less the time to speak. “When I went to a meeting and asked for a chance to speak, they tried to give me one minute.”
Responding to criticism that he’s been absent from the spotlight over the last two years and that the residents of Parkdale-High Park need an MP who can attract more attention to their concerns, Kennedy asks people to judge him by his record. He says he brings the issues to the forefront, not his own face: “Maybe I haven’t done the best job promoting myself, but I’ve been in hundreds of stories on infrastructure and the environment.”
There are, of course, plenty of other issues in this riding. The air-rail link may have inflamed the most passion, but it probably won’t be the issue most people remember on voting day. Both Nash and Kennedy say they’ve heard from voters about the economy, how dysfunctional Parliament is, and, of course, a desire to fight Stephen Harper and the Conservatives.
As well, the recent spate of unprovoked beatings in Parkdale has the entire community nervous and looking for a better solution to mental health issues than locking people up. Nash points out that mental health is only one side of the coin—poverty is another. She and the NDP want a national housing strategy to help combat urban poverty, a national plan the Liberals failed to deliver during the Chrétien-Martin years. Kennedy says he’s been working with local police in an unofficial capacity. “Nobody in the community is clamouring for the law-and-order Conservative stuff,” Kennedy says. “People want to know what will we do, how will we keep people safer.”
Whatever happens, the fate of this riding won’t change the balance of power in Parliament. It’s not going to take a seat away from the Conservatives, and hanging on to it probably won’t change the Liberal prospects for a win on voting day. But since this riding is one of the few in Toronto that could conceivably change hands—Nash herself won it after Liberal Sam Bulte had a bit of an Internet meltdown in 2006—it remains on our list of ridings to watch.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/gerrard-kennedy-versus-peggy-nash-in-parkdale-high-park-the-huggiest-grudge-match-ever/&title=Gerard Kennedy versus Peggy Nash in Parkdale-High Park: the huggiest grudge match ever&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Gerrard-Kennedy-Peggy-Nash.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_65810" align="aligncenter" width="655" caption="Gerard Kennedy and Peggy Nash are slugging it out in Parkdale-High Park (Images: John Michael McGrath)"][/caption]
Like so many ridings in the 416, Parkdale-High Park is hosting a showdown between the Liberals and the NDP while the Tories and the Greens duke it out for third place. What’s odd about this district, however, is that it might actually change hands on May 2—and both of the viable candidates have “re-elect” signs (the NDP put orange tape over the “re-” without being forced to the way the Liberals were elsewhere). Liberal incumbent Gerard Kennedy took Parkdale-High Park from the NDP’s Peggy Nash in 2008 by 3,000 votes, and Nash is back for a rematch. Like in Trinity-Spadina—the one other downtown riding that may swing—this is a fight between the left and the really left. The knives aren’t out, but the fight is interesting nonetheless, especially with the NDP’s numbers on the rise across the country. Here, we talk to Kennedy and Nash about what’s at stake for Parkdale-High Park.
Over the course of our interviews, the candidates gave their sharpest responses when the issue of the air-rail link from Union Station to Pearson Airport was raised. As we’ve discussed before, the community is in a bit of an uproar over the province’s decision not to electrify the line until after the 2015 Pan Am games. Nash says, “I’ve been pressuring the federal government to spend the money we need to build it right the first time.” She says an NDP government would introduce a national transit plan set in law and transfer more money to cities to deal with their transit problems. Trying to win Toronto votes with transit spending? Where have we heard that before?
Kennedy agrees that the relationship between Metrolinx and the community around the air-rail link has at times been “ridiculous.” “I think Metrolinx has been sluggish. If I’d been in the government, I’d have to take responsibility,” he says. “There’s two points though: they have committed to electrification, and the local movement, the couple or three ridings, have been taken over by the NDP and used for partisan purposes.” Kennedy says he’s had a hard time trying to get groups like the Clean Train Coalition to give him the time of day, much less the time to speak. “When I went to a meeting and asked for a chance to speak, they tried to give me one minute.”
Responding to criticism that he’s been absent from the spotlight over the last two years and that the residents of Parkdale-High Park need an MP who can attract more attention to their concerns, Kennedy asks people to judge him by his record. He says he brings the issues to the forefront, not his own face: “Maybe I haven’t done the best job promoting myself, but I’ve been in hundreds of stories on infrastructure and the environment.”
There are, of course, plenty of other issues in this riding. The air-rail link may have inflamed the most passion, but it probably won’t be the issue most people remember on voting day. Both Nash and Kennedy say they’ve heard from voters about the economy, how dysfunctional Parliament is, and, of course, a desire to fight Stephen Harper and the Conservatives.
As well, the recent spate of unprovoked beatings in Parkdale has the entire community nervous and looking for a better solution to mental health issues than locking people up. Nash points out that mental health is only one side of the coin—poverty is another. She and the NDP want a national housing strategy to help combat urban poverty, a national plan the Liberals failed to deliver during the Chrétien-Martin years. Kennedy says he’s been working with local police in an unofficial capacity. “Nobody in the community is clamouring for the law-and-order Conservative stuff,” Kennedy says. “People want to know what will we do, how will we keep people safer.”
Whatever happens, the fate of this riding won’t change the balance of power in Parliament. It’s not going to take a seat away from the Conservatives, and hanging on to it probably won’t change the Liberal prospects for a win on voting day. But since this riding is one of the few in Toronto that could conceivably change hands—Nash herself won it after Liberal Sam Bulte had a bit of an Internet meltdown in 2006—it remains on our list of ridings to watch.){kind=link}
Kennedy’s statement that the Clean Train Coalition has been taken over by the NDP is entirely untrue. We are a non-partisan organization and have worked with Rob Ford, Frank Klees, and NDP and Liberals as well. It is Mr Kennedy who won’t give us the time of day, as we worked to set up meetings with him and engage him in our efforts. In fact, of all the politicians along the corridor, Kennedy has been the most difficult. He was one of the few who wouldn’t sign our pledge, which was endorsed by multiple members from all three parties at all levels of government, and is the only one who hasn’t supported our grassroots effort.
For the record, I voted for him last election. This time I won’t.
Mr. Kennedy’s assertions that the Clean Train Coalition (CTC) won’t “give him the time of day, much less the time to speak. “When I went to a meeting and asked for a chance to speak, they tried to give me one minute.”” is laughable and not true. We tried to engage Mr. Kennedy numerous times in the past 2 years only to be rebuffed and told that we aren’t ‘structured enough’ and he won’t work with us. So if anyone is not giving the time of day, it is Mr. Kennedy. Personally, I had emailed him after receiving one of his communiques (I seem to be on his mailing list) and he never responded back to my query. Nor did any of his staffers. That was over 2 months ago – long before the election was called.
As well, he lives in Weston Village, the community which has been fighting the Air Rail Link as a diesel system for over 6 years as the Weston Community Coalition (WCC). We were organized a full 4 years before the CTC became organized and won many battles on this issue. Mr. Kennedy was more than welcome to join us as a resident for 4 years but he ignored any and all engagement in his own neighbourhood even though his house is barely 3 blocks from ground zero. It was only when residents and business owners in the Junction became aware that he sort of put it on his radar. But in the past 2 years, what has he done? Little or nothing that I can see. Except to bad-mouth the residents he wants votes from.
Mr. Kennedy claims that our ridings have been ‘hijacked’ by the NDP — sorry, but only the NDP has made any effort both provincially and federally to support this cause that affects residents of ALL stripes and colours in all the GTA. We are NON-PARTISAN grassroots groups, both as the WCC and as the CTC. The Liberals, both provincially and federally, constantly try to use the fallacious commentary that we are ‘being taken over by the NDP for partisan purposes’. It seems to be their only defense mechanism because it was their own federal Liberal government who forced this on the communities along the Georgetown Corridor and the provincial Liberals who have carried on with it to the point where we are know.
Mr. Kennedy cannot ‘suck and blow’ on this issue. He and his government dropped the ball and his only way to proceed is to claim that we have rejected him and we are being manipulated by the NDP. In fact, it is the exact opposite. He seemingly has rejected us, we have carried on engaging all political parties and levels of government and will continue to do so with or without his support.
If the CTC is sympathetic to the NDP, it’s because only Cheri DiNovo, the NDP MPP for this riding was the only politician who took their concerns seriously. Neither Gerard nor David Miller nor any Liberals at Queens Park would give the issue of polluting trains any serious recognition until a summer time rally at Sorauren Park 18 months ago. Then, Gerard showed up to give a speech, after saying a couple of days before he couldn’t make it. Until then Kennedy refused to even meet with people in the community on this issue. I know because I tried for four months before this rally to get a meeting and he was always too busy. Kennedy talks a good game, but his actions speak louder than words. He eventually did call to arrange a meeting, but only after he could tell which way the wind was blowing. It’s hard to believe that his actions were anything but opportunistic on this issue.
I do find it ironic that no one seems to be commenting on the fact that Peggy Nash is campaigning by ‘phone and her campaign material and saying that Kennedy is not showing up for work. I find this very disturbing since she is calling his attendance in Nagoya, Japan for the biodiversity talks and his attendance in Cancun, Mexico for the environment as absences from the “House”. She knows about Canada’s “pairing” system whereby a Conservative vote is cancelled by a Liberal (if away on international business) and vice versa, yet she is hammering the question “when will he show up for work?”. I find this terribly unethical and cheap politicking. I hope the people of Parkdale High Park don’t reward her for misleading the people. This is unworthy for this area which has always been known for its clean fights. Funny though, as is a previous article above, I am the opposite to that person. I used to support Nash and now I’m supporting Kennedy. Her behaviour undermines democracy.
Nothing happening in Parkdale-High Park thanks to Mr Kennedy’s world junckets. Oh, and what happened to the promise of Mr Kennedy to organize “Metrolinx Communities Together” as a Liberal partisan response to his dislike for the clean train Coalition? Nothing but an attention seeker. Last point, PLEEZ stop milking the food bank issue like you are still involved in poverty issues–NOT.
Gerard Kennedy can cry us a river. I work professionally on transportation issues for a Conservative MP and I’ve had no trouble working with these alleged NDPers in the Clean Train Coalition. Nor has my employer had any problem with supporting the admirable work of this group. While some members of the CTC are supporters of the NDP, others are well-known Liberals and we’ve all gotten along wonderfully, all of us dedicated to improving transportation throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area through the implementation of rail electrification.
The only person who seems to be unable to engage productively with the CTC is Kennedy. That’s because everthing he does is aimed at puffing up his overblown ego and fuelling his arch-partisan stance on everything.
I hope Peggy Nash — who has been fully in favour of GO electrification — gives Kennedy the thrashing he deserves on May 2. He’s no friend of the people or the public transportation system they want and deserve.
As someone who has lived in Parkdale-High Park since I was 3 not too far from the slaughter houses and paint factories until relatively recently, whether the trains are electric or diesel is not of interest to me. I have experienced more serious pollution. There also is a former garbage dump on the east side of Keele north of Bloor which has been covered up. I am more interested in the economy and jobs and looking after families. I don’t really find a backbencher for a fourth party represents my interests better than the present MP. I see Peggy Nash on television often, but have never seen her in the riding, on foot on the street.
I’m a proud resident of Parkdale and have been watching both politicians closely for quite sometime. Gerard Kennedy only seems to show up for photo ops when it suits him. highparkgirl’s comments about Peggy Nash not being around in the riding make her sounds like some Liberal Party troll. Peggy has lived in the riding for something like 20 years. She has been active in the CTC and been circulating a petition to get diesel trains electrified for months now. I attended one of Kennedy’s town hall meetings, and all he talked about was how he schmoozed with famous diplomats at climate change summits. He did not mention the airport rail link once! Gerard Kennedy was once the darling of the Liberals and seemed like a good choice as leader. He messed that one up and is now far from the inner circle of the party. Peggy is the NDP President and will actually have a influence on how the party formulates policy and presents itself. As far as jobs and the economy goes, I find it curious that on Queen Street in Parkdale, the vast majority of stores with signs for the election have Peggy ones. Despite all these wild accusations of the NDP being anti-business they are actually trying to support local business (who are creating local jobs) instead of the large corporations who are shipping jobs to China. These corporations also got their tax cuts from Harper’s budgets being passed with Liberal support… I voted Kennedy last time but I’m afraid both he and the Liberals have lost touch with the working class and small business owners in these tough times. I’ve never voted NDP before but Harper is looking to turn Canada into USA lite and the Libs will say anything and are clearly only interested in winning power. I’m looking to start my own small business soon and the NDP is actually speaking to my needs unlike the others. Go Peggy!
Yes Christian(NDP party troll), I have lived in the riding since I was 3. Besides CTC which I imagine Peggy founded for her own purposes, not the the interests of the riding residents, has Peggy Nash been active in any other associations, you know something other than the NDP members she is looking out for? I guess she has been actively working in the riding, walking about, while the president of the federal NDP. I guess she can do this job without leaving the riding. Anyone seen Peggy in the riding when she is not running for election for parliament, does she do anything in the riding then?
As a founding member of the CTC, I can tell you that Peggy was not one. She has been a stalwart support of our efforts and is a member but she is not a ‘founding member’ nor did she start it for her own purposes. The CTC was organized by residents along the corridor from Weston down to Liberty Village after the pile driving started in the Junction. Weston residents had already formed the Weston Community Coalition back in 2005 when we first learned of the diesel trains and we still exist along with being founding members of the CTC. And if you read the previous posting, Kennedy lives in Weston and has done nothing on the issue in his own backyard let alone Parkdale-High Park. Nash has attended rallies, come to meetings, and has advocated for her communities. Kennedy has not. Kennedy, as noted in previous postings, shows up at photo-ops or sends his staffers to ‘scout it out’ as he did for the Human Train event back in 2009. He was called to come over by his staffer when that person saw over 1000 people gathered in Sorauren Park. And Kennedy never comes out for Weston’s Neighbours’ Night Out which is organized by the Weston Community Coalition along with the residents’ association even though it is a half block from his home and is to raise awareness of the issue.
Gloria, I suggest you do some research on the associations, how they were founded and why before casting aspersions. And if liking or voting for a person because of what they have done for my community makes me a ‘troll’ then so be it. I will be voting for MY NDP candidate because I know what he has done for MY community and what my Liberal candidate has not.
We already chose to support Peggy Nash in 2011 (advance poll) and to answer your question, “high park girl’ and “gloria”, YES, I have encountered Peggy Nash at many events over the years, ranging from street fairs in Roncesvalles to political protests to cultural events to community action meetings. Perhaps you don’t get out much yourselves. Kennedy, on the other hand, I have never even seen in person. I hope Nash returns to this riding as our representative.
One thing this article misses is the strategic voters in our area. Most conservatives don’t want the liberals to get the seat and since the blue will not win in our riding, a lot of them will be voting for Nash.
Personally, I think she deserves it. She was much more involved as an MP than Kennedey has been. Even though I’m a Liberal, I’ll be voting NDP in this election.
After watching an all candidates debate tonight and looking at their respective handouts, I would agree with Alexa (April 20 note) that Peggy Nash seems to be engaging in a dangerous game of very negative campaigning (which I think is a disservice to Jack Layton who seems to have a ‘positive’ public persona/image). I would rather hear her share more about what she has accomplished (instead, her promises to fund this and that in reply to questions from the floor sounded very populist to me while Gerard Kennedy was more frank not promising to do this and that, but rather look at what has worked and will work in future, as well as look at new ways of addressing complex issues that don’t have simple answers).
And in response to high park resident (April 27), my feeling is Kennedy has much more solid track record of accomplishments and experience as an advocate for the community and Canada in general than any of the other candidates in this election. I would not be giving up on him so quickly.
I missed the all candidates meeting last night – does anyone other that “new” have any comments about it?
Watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woEW_HkV1Z4&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fnottawa.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fthis-also-seemed-worth-sharing.html&feature=player_embedded
“Kennedy was more frank not promising to do this and that, but rather look at what has worked and will work in future, as well as look at new ways of addressing complex issues that don’t have simple answers” = If I’m elected I’ll work on things without any results until the next election in 16 months… I remember the how we can stop this speech at one of the first CTC meetings where Kennedy was on our side. Then he found out his friends were involved and he disappeared from all the events unless his staff told him to show up. And this time around he wants to make this riding a “mental health stigma free zone”. Where was he when the pile drivers were causing the mental health issues? I know this is out of context but come on… More diesel trains will make more people sick and the push to get them for a 2 week event no one attends is absolutely insane.
Go electric NOW. Fight for your constituents, I voted for you in the past. Not this time Mr. Kennedy. I did not vote for you in the advanced poll. The ‘dirty campaigning’ by Nash had zero influence on my vote. It was the lack of response from you or your office on very direct questions that I suppose were misplaced that lost my vote.
A former Liberal.
@ new Parkdale-High Park Voter – Welcome to the neighbourhood don’t fall prey to the lies.
@ car Great video NOT
I went around with a petition to Gerard Kennedy as I had to all the previous homes up his street gathering signatures to elecrify the Air Rail Link from the outset and make it a public transit with affordable fares. Please note- every resident signed and thanked me very much for the opportunity to sign. It may come as a shock to some that the only person who would not support it was Gerard Kennedy. He mumbled he wanted to check his sources first and would certainly get back to us once he found out what he needed to find out. He never spoke to us again, and never responded to any invitations to neighbourhood community meeting to brain storm how to ward off the elephant in the community. AS much as I had previously respected Mr Kennedy, I realized through my experience-he is playing LIBERAL and Political games with a very important issue and taking it so far as a human being that he willing to allow this ugly thing to unfold because it is a Liberal based machine in motion. if anyone is playing politics with the air rail link issues I would clearly tell you it is Gerard Kennedy. Peggy on the other hand happens to be NDP, but as a human being she is passionate about the air we breathe and I have to disagree with a previous post that this is not our most important election issue- it is. NOTHING can trump your family getting cancer from highly carcinogen sources emitted by this amount of diesel. I would strongly suggest anyone who lives along the corridor- Weston, The junction, Mount dennis, and Liberty Village better take a moment out before voting day to reflect if you want cancer.. and If you dont think air is our most important issuse remember the candidates names who did nothing to stop our air from being poisoned and land contaminated. I am shocked to read Gerards comments about the NDP and CTC. I guess hes pretty desperate to resort to slamming those activists who are motivated where he is not.
Kennidy is the wrong choice. He doesn’t live in or care about the riding. He doesn’t show up to parlement and do his job. He’s invisible as an MP. I really hope this riding can see him for what he is, a do-nothing professional politian with a huge ego and no desire to benefit anyone except himself.
As a long-time constituent who has had dealing with Mr. Kennedy’s office, I found him totally inaccessible who never returns phone calls and whose arrogant staff treat constituents like unwanted trash.
I will be voting NDP with great relish this year.
I know and like Gerrard but he is not telling the truth here. As a member of CTC I can say that they have avoided at all costs being connected to any party. But that doesnt mean that parties cant jump on the issue too.Clean Air really is not a partisan issue. I admired when Kennedy got to speak (for longer than a minute as videos show), it took courage but since then to the best of my knowledge he has hidden on this issue just as the next door Liberal Mario Silva has. The federal government is putting money into the polluting expansion of diesel trains so it is a federal issue; why Kennedy and Silva cant step up to the plate on this escapes me. In the case of Kennedy why attack the messenger? In the case of Peggy Nash I live a block from her riding and I see her at many community events and public forums on that side of the tracks.
yeh, we need Nash, and the sooner the better. This Kennedy guy is a suit, only in the game for tv and federal showboating.
Nash is a dirty campaigner and a liar. Why didn’t she sign on to civilelection.ca? Because she knew she was running a dishonest campaign. Go Kennedy Go!
As this voter notes below re: the lying attack on Kennedy’s voting record, don’t vote in a cheater:
I spoke with Ned Franks (expert on parliamentary procedure and professor emeritus -Queen’s university) who called the NDP attacks “superficial, idiotic allegations that are simple-minded.” Gerard Kennedy went to biodiversity talks in Japan and environment talks in Mexico on behalf of Canada, not just this riding (trying to get the Cons. to act in good faith). How can that be wrong? Yet he is being attacked vociferously for this. This is gulling the innocents who know nothing about what an MP really does. I am very disappointed in Nash who is not playing fairly. An MP’s most important job is committees, work with constituents, representing the country on important matters and some portfolios require more time away than others. Not only that, but it has taken valuable time away from important issues and undermines democracy as a whole a la Stephen Harper. People are so disgusted they stay home and don’t vote. How can we be proud of a candidate who wants to win at any cost?
BTW, I had the same concerns over House votes as you, but what I did was look at the dates when Kennedy was absent and then cross-referenced them with the conferences he attended (using the same website you just mentioned) and it all adds up. For some reason the pairings weren’t added to the Hansard records and I’m sure that Nash is aware of this as Kennedy’s attendance at these conferences was confirmed and the dates match. Nash conveniently omits this. That’s when I called Ned Franks. I will be very disappointed if we vote in a cheater.
Beware folks! The so-called CTC posters here are Nash campaign workers spreading more lies about Kennedy. Boy, the lies being thrown at the Kennedy campaign by Nash are piling up high!
Let’s review:
-Nash lied about Kennedy’s voting record
-Nash’s campaign phoned Kennedy supporters and told them not voting was a good option for them
-Nash’s campaign was spreading a false rumour that Kennedy was against same-sex marriage
-Nash’s campaign is lying about Kennedy’s stance on electric trains
-Nash refuses to sign on to civilelection.ca, Why won’t she????
Vote for the honourable choice-vote for Kennedy!
@ by Kennedy is the best
I am no way associated to Nash or a campaign worker. I’m a concerned citizen who is worried about the health and well being of my child and all the kids in the neighbourhood.
I spoke to my neighbours with Kennedy signs on their front lawns that were less than 40 meters from the track. I asked them if they knew about the proposed diesel trains and the fact traffic along the line is about to grow exponentially? And that the diesel exhaust will increase and that the side effects of living in this exhaust will cause illness.
Surprise most of these people just moved to this area and if they knew about the trains they would not have bought here. So I just said to research the candidates and where they stand on the issue. Kennedy supports electric trains after the 2015 Pan Am games yet another waste but that’s another story.
I am a Liberal. I voted for him the last time around. But when I elect you and then ask for a simple answer from you / your office I expect an answer. Especially when I ask it 3 times. I even walked to his office.
Long story short you reap what you sow and he lost my vote and many of the other constituents in the ‘hood obviously. So when Iggy and friends all lose their seats is it really any surprise?
Don’t worry this neighbourhood is ‘mental health stigma free zone’ so we understand your mental anguish after such a devastating loss. But again we didn’t need Kennedy to make this an official platform in his campaign did we?
Chat to you in 4 – 5 years.
Sorry about the water Is your building manngemeat company checking for mold? [That can make you seriously frigging sick.]As far as the minority goes, as I said on Ron’s blog, meh . Actually this panned out differently than I expected I called Martin stepping down and the minority, but the NDP vote didn’t really wilt (I was expecting them to pick up 5, not 11). That was my surprise and not necessarily a good one.If the NDP vote had wilted it would have given fuel to the Chretien (and Youth) wing of the Liberal party in the leadership race Right now I suspect that the neo-liberal wing of the Liberal party will come out on top in the leadership race.At least the water will be clearer next time around.Conservative- Socially not so progressive’, with a regressive neo-liberal economic agenda.Liberal- Modestly Socially Progressive, neo-liberal economics (Assuming the successor is from the Martin go right’ wing of the party).NDP- Strongly Socially Progressive, a more traditional keynesian’ approach to economics.The more interesting thing to watch will be if the Bloc really starts to wilt (AKA- there is real conservative buy in’ in Quebec).Either way this government will be propped up for at least 12 18 months while the knives come out in the Liberal party. Unless the Conservatives engineer their own fall to stage an election in the middle (or just after) a Liberal leadership race (That would be clever in a Machiavellian sort of way).The things we’ll see for sure is:-Some sort of tax package with the GST cut (With Liberal and Conservative backing)-Some sort of ethics package (Broad support, particularly from the NDP)-Likely some uniformity in who gets the royalties from non-renewable resources (possibly with some adjustments [read: increase] in transfer payments)-Balanced budgets will likely be maintained in the short term. The Conservatives can’t afford to to bungle’ that (on purpose or not) in the context of a minority.-Possibly some government / senate reforms (but that’s likely to end badly for whom ever opens up that can of worms).-The chance for national Quebec style’ daycare is going to be seriously squandered.Beyond that everything is up for grabs _James