Stephen Harper, 49, will continue to lead the Canadian government. (Getty Images)Unless there’s a drastic change in the Canadian political climate, the conservative government of Stephen Harper will be in power at the time of the Vancouver Olympics.
Harper and his colleagues won Tuesday’s federal election, still short of a parliamentary majority but with a gain of 17 seats, 11 shy of majority control. The Liberals remained the official opposition with 77. Bloc Quebecois, which favours Quebec independence, won 48, 10 more than the fourth-place NDP.
The 40th general election wasn't expected until fall 2009, but Harper used a loophole in the scheduled elections law in a bid to seek a majority. Another election before the 2010 Games is highly unlikely, especially since Liberal leader Stephane Dion will face a leadership challenge unless he resigns first. Liberals lost 18 seats in a campaign where the economy trumped the environment.
Conservative James Moore, the federal Olympics secretary, won 54.6 percent of votes in the Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam riding in suburban Vancouver. Sport Canada Secretary Helena Guergis also kept her seat in the Ontario riding of Simcoe-Grey with 55 percentof votes.
Hedy Fry, the federal Liberal Olympics critic, was returned in Vancouver Centre but with only 34.3 percent. Conservative newcomer John Weston became the new West Vancouver-Sunshine John Weston is the new MP for the district that includes all the outdoor venues for the Vancouver Olympics. (ATR/B.Mackin)Coast-Sea to Sky country MP by 10,000 votes over Liberal Squamish Mayor Ian Sutherland. Weston's district includes all of the 2010 Games' outdoor events.
One more election this year will determine who will serve as mayor of Vancouver at the time of the Games. The vote is set for Nov. 15. Incumbent Sam Sullivan will step down, having lost his party'snomination to seek a second term.
With reporting from Bob Mackin in Vancouver.
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