Right Hook: The day has finally come Right Hook JJ McCullough, OP Vindicated Columnist As we slowly progress through the excruciating evolution from teenagers to adults, one of the most interesting steps along the way is the development of our political consciousness. Throughout childhood and our early teens, politics is simply a boring world of “adult” prob- lems that are too complicated, confusing, and strange to focus much attention on. To be sure, some people never evolve out of this phase; but as the years progress, most of us slowly find ourselves gradually being able to com- prehend the once baffling world of government. This new knowledge in turn breeds opinion, and opinion breeds new identities as we begin to self-identify as both political observers and actors. I must have been around 16 or so when I first started to develop any sort of coherent understanding of poli- tics. Truth be told, this rising interest was largely a byproduct of my already strong interest in cartooning. Studying the amazing artwork of cartoonists like Gerald Scarfe and Pat Oliphant, I became interested in the field of editorial cartooning myself, which in turn required I start paying attention to current events so I’d have things to draw. At that time Canada’s Prime Minister was still Jean Chretien, who had been in power for about seven years and was just gearing up to win his third consecutive election. He came to power when I was about nine years old, and was thus the only leader of Canada I had ever known by name. When I joined the Other Press in 2002, Chretien was still Prime Minister. By then, having spent much time in the interim studying the careers of Thatcher and Reagan, I had fully evolved from a naive and ignorant kid to a bit- ter, jaded conservative. For three years at the OP I wrote my column, Right Hook, criticizing Chretien and the Liberal Party on numerous fronts, blasting their anti- Americanism, their corruption, and their increasingly authoritarian style of governance. In 2003, in particular, I wrote many columns about the then-ongoing Iraq war, and harshly belittled Chretien’s government for refusing to back the United States in its overthrow of Saddam Hussien’s despotic regime. I remember how my columns at that time generated a flurry of hate mail towards the Other Press, as angry, left-wing students wrote in lengthy rants calling me all sorts of names, or even demanding I be fired from the newspaper for voicing my unpleasant right-wing views. I recount all this because I’ve been feeling particularly reflective lately. For my entire politically-aware life, I have lived under a left-wing government, been educated by left-wing teachers, watched left-wing media, and hung out with left-wing friends. ve always felt like an ideological minority, and at times even a persecuted one at that. Last week, however, everything changed. Canada now has a strongly right-wing Prime Minister, who has spent his entire adult life passionately devoted to the cause of conservatism. Regardless of his future victories or fail- ures, it is hard not to feel an enormous sense of vindica- tion in the simple fact that finally, fza//y my country has a leader that I can praise, and not criticize; respect, and not belittle. Even if Harper ultimately goes the way of Joe Clark, and only ends up serving for a couple of months, the fact that he was elected to power can never be undone. Fifty years from now, I will be able to look back at a list of Prime Ministers of Canada and still see his name. Future generations will always learn that (at least at one point) Canada had a leader who admired the United States and respected its president, who supported the controversial liberation of Iraq, who detested the corrup- tion of the Liberal Party and the excesses of the far-left, who had a vision for reforming the parliamentary system, and who understood the simple axiom that a government that governs best governs least. Harper’s victory is a victory for those who have sat frustrated on the sidelines for so very very long. It makes me proud to be Canadian.. Settle Down Kids: the country isn’t doomed..yet Letteéiv@reers \ lairliRWevelPOrnretia I write to you this week, dear readers, as I return to Vancouver from Toronto and the 68 Annual Canadian University Press Conference. I spent the last of my seven nights in Toronto glued to my TV as the next couple years of Canada’s politics were unveiled with a relatively uncer- tain amount of clarity. I was also fortunate enough to have some great conversations with young journalists from all across this great country, as we reflected on the first Conservative government in over a decade. One man’s surprise is another’s easy call. Personally, I expected a Conservative minority and never really enter- tained the talks of a majority. I expected some gains in Quebec, and I assumed the Liberals would stay above 100 seats. Canadians, especially in Ontario, still seem hesitant about writing the Toriesa blank cheque. What I did not expect was the sudden departure of Paul Martin and the degree to which the NDP improved their standing. Gaining ten seats and doubling their share in BC, the NDP may just have a chance to shine and return to past glory. The next few years could see the NDP return to 1970s seat levels and become a valid third party, or a return of the Liberals could once again shove them to the mar- gins. They need to show they can get it done. It seemed certain that Martin would be on the way out if the Liberals lost, but I expected the news to come after a few weeks rather than on election night. In a way, one must feel bad for someone who was popularly perceived to have so much promise. Who’s next? I dunno—maybe Belinda Stronach—that would be something. New blood I say. More likely, however, is Frank McKenna, former New Brunswick premier and US ambassador. He quit that post last week; perhaps he can bring new life to the party. Martin has been a dud Prime Minister; the question is whether Stephen Harper.will be. Harper faces a challenge unlike any that has come in recent Canadian history. He is a significant distance—some 30 plus seats—from the amount necessary to carry a motion. He cannot rely on just the NDP as their combined seat total is two shy. Sad as it is, but the party holding the balance of power is inevitably the Liberals. To be effective, the Tories will have to make buddy-buddy with the party they just forced to sit in the somewhat-less-comfortable seats on the other side of the house. So how are progressive Canadians to think of this out- come? For Liberal supporters, you can confide in the fact that your party is in need of a reboot and will probably get it. New leadership and some trimming of the fat will create a tighter group with a new vision. Reaction to conservative politics will lead the Liberals back to the social and, per- haps, even fiscal left to some degree. They will also feel the pinch to actually deliver on promises; competition is good. NDP supporters can be happy about the great showing their party had, especially in BC, and can look forward to having a fairly significant impact on policy. So while Harper starts getting his butt-print firmly imbedded in the PM seat, and while Conservative back- benchers laugh off having to ask Liberals to get out of their seats, Canada will be treated to another uncertain minority parliament. Harper was public enemy number one in damaging the coherence, civility, and effectiveness of the last parliament. Now that he is representing all of Canada, not just his voters, he better put on his cooperation pants and hope he can make three parties on the other side of the political spectrum groove to his tunes. We can expect the big fiscal and government promises GST cut, account- ability act, senate reformeto blaze forward,-while social policy and programs will move slowly. Canadians may not get all they wanted out of Harper and friends, but to avoid the quagmire of letting the house go blue, I think we’ll deal. So buck up lefties. It had to happen eventually. Accountability demanded it. Until the NDP, or please God the Greens, make a bigger appearance, we can accept Conservatives in a minority setting. We can’t have Liberals forever—that’s what led to corruption and the impression that they could make promises they didn’t need to keep. So lay back and try to smile. Create a picture in your head of the day Harper has to step down. It’s as calming as a glass of scotch and vanilla incense.