"The Liberals lost because Canadians did not find Ignatieff or his platform attractive, period. Those looking for a distinct alternative to Harper found it in Jack Layton and the NDP.
"I have long argued that Ignatieff could not win as Harper Lite any more than John Kerry could have in 2004 as Bush Lite. There wasn’t much difference between Ignatieff and Harper on several domestic and all key foreign policy issues. ...
"Those depressed by the poor Liberal showing of 34 seats should think back to 1993 when the Conservatives were shrunk to two seats. (That was fewer than the number of Sikh Liberals elected. Now many elected Sikhs are going to be in the Harper caucus.)
"Harper has a right to implement his platform. If he goes beyond it, the 60 per cent of Canadians who did not vote for him would let him know. They might even raise a stink about some of his more controversial legislative initiatives. Public opinion can act as a mid-election check on a government.
"Canadians have only given the prime minister a new mandate. They have not crowned him king. "
Full article: Siddiqui: How Harper won and Ignatieff lost.
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