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I don't think the vote splitting was as big a factor as most seem to feel. The complete repudiation of the Liberal party outside of Quebec was basically a rejection of Ignatieff, who was seen as an ineffectual, effete intellectual with no real leadership quality. His selection by the liberals was an attempt to distance themselves from the rampant corruption of the Chretien years. It didn't work, particularly inside Quebec, where the disgust with the Liberals was still very strong. It's the only area where the Conservatives didn't make gains.
Basically, the election seems to be a very strong message that the country wants stability at the federal level, and is willing to accept the likes of Harper to attain that. One has to wonder how much we'll pay for that.
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The secret to great marksmanship is deciding what the target was AFTER you've shot.
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