AFP - Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister, Conservative Stephen Harper, was reappointed Monday to head the government, his party won most seats in the House in early parliamentary elections.
According to preliminary official results, the Harper Conservatives get 166 of the 308 seats in the House of Commons.
"Canadians have chosen hope, a strong and united Canada, and we will govern for all Canadians, even those who did not vote for us," assured Mr. Harper, beaming in front of his supporters who applauded vigorously in Calgary, Alberta (west).
"Our government will defend the interests of all regions and all Canadians, including the great nation of Quebec," he said.
Alluding to the defeat of the separatist Bloc Quebecois, whose seats were often taken over by New Democratic Party (NDP, left), Mr.Harper has stated its intention to "make Canada a freer and more united."
"Quebecers have decided to send the Federalists in the House of Commons and we will work together for the betterment of our country."
Beyond the victory of the Conservatives get a majority after leading a minority government from the elections of 2006 and 2008, these elections will be completely transformed the political landscape.
The NDP confirmed its historic breakthrough announced by the polls, winning 106 electoral districts, nearly triple the 36 seats held in the outgoing House.This is by far the best score in the history of this party.
His meteoric rise was mainly at the expense of the Liberals and the Bloc Québécois, literally rolled by the wave "orange" training left.
Carried by the "wind of change" announced by its charismatic leader Jack Layton, the NDP is poised to become the official opposition in the government of Mr. Harper.
But change is not on the agenda of the Conservative leader who had, instead, focused his campaign on the stability and continuity, promising Canadians continued economic recovery and pledging not to raise taxes, Unlike the NDP and Liberals.
The fate of the Liberal Party leader, former academic Michael Ignatieff seems sealed by the disastrous result which gives him 35 seats. Mr. Ignatieff has campaigned honorably but has not created a decisive impact in the electorate and lost his own seat.His party, who does not like losers, could soon grow to the exit.
Finally, the sharp fall of the Bloc Quebecois, with just four seats against 47 held in the outgoing parliament, announced a steep turn in the attitude of the inhabitants of French-speaking province and greater openness to the English-speaking Canada. Its leader Gilles Duceppe, defeated in his riding of Montreal, announced his resignation.
Other highlights of the poll, there had been elected the leader of the Greens, Elizabeth May, a historic first, and the defeat of the Conservative Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the outgoing government.
Participation remained low at 60.3%, according to provisional figures, barely higher than the historic low of 58.8% registered in 2008.
