Election 2015 - One Year Later

October 19, 2015 was the last Canadian election.  When all the counting was done, the Harper Government had been ousted after simmering resentment was allowed to come out.  I posted a wish list of what I wanted to see happen in the first year.  What has happened since then?

Repeal bill C-51 immediately, before it can be used.
Still not done.  The Conservative Senators threatened to prevent its repeal.  This may have to go to the Surpreme Court.

Repeal two-tier citizenship before there's an expensive constitutional challenge.
The Liberals introduced Bill C-6 in the House, where it passed.  The bill is now in the Senate.

Restore the long-form census.  Math matters.
Done!  The long form returned for this year's census.  Math is vindicated!

Let the scientists speak out again.
Done!  The Canadian government is also getting back on course to reduce the effect of climate change.

Forensic accounting on the Harper Government's Canada Action Plan to see where the money went.  Criminal charges, if warranted, would be a bonus here.
Ths was never going to happen.  I still want to see it done, but it's not likely.

Cancel the XL Pipeline project.
The project is in the air right now.  The collapse of oil prices put a damper on the enthusiasm for the pipeline, and the complete carnival of the American election has the fate of the project in the air.

Improve International relationships, starting with the US, Canada's biggest trading partner.
Done!  And how!  Trudeau and Obama became the most photogenic pair of world leaders to ever grace the pages of a newspaper.  There must be real-person slash fic of them floating on the Internet even now.  Go look for it yourself.

Things could be better.  But things have improved overall since the election.

Election 2015 - Yet Another Post-Mortem

October 20th.  Canada has a new government.  A sea of Liberal red swept in, pushing out Conservative blue.  But this wasn't the expected result.  During the 78 day long campaign, the polls showed no clear winner.  What happened?  The results can't be due to strategic voting; some long-time NDP ridings, like Ottawa Centre voted in a Liberal MP.  Pundits and the electorate were expecting a minority government; if the Conservatives had the lead, the NDP and Liberals were expected to form a coalition.  Last night's results laugh at that potential outcome.  I'm not a political scientist, nor am I a pundit or even a pretend expert on Canadian politics.  What follows is my attempt to figure out last night's results.  My breakdown after the cut.