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Feb 19,2006 - Feb 26,2006 |
Volpe says Liberals will act responsibly
Sgro is saddened by Martin's resignation
By Francesco Veronesi
Originally Published: 2006-01-29
Satisfaction for his own personal result but disappointment for the defeat suffered by his party are both present in Joe Volpe's nuanced assessment of this election, which delivered the country to Tory rule after 13 years of Grit dominance. "Canada," underscored the former Minister of Immigration, "has decided to reward the Conservative Party; now we shall see what will Stephen Harper be able to do, whether he'll manage to keep the promises he made during the campaign."
At present, after the electoral defeat and the resignation from party leader of former PM Paul Martin, the Liberals cannot afford to fight tooth and nail on Parliament Hill; they will most likely exert - at least in the first part of the legislature - a responsible opposition.
"We have a duty to discuss the merits of every measure," added Volpe, "not simply to oppose aprioristically the Tory government." Volpe won re-election in his riding of Eglinton-Lawrence, obtaining 26,041 votes and leaving his Tory challenger, Peter Coy, almost 11,000 votes behind. "An excellent result," he repeated, "because my riding is among the most qualified in the country, as regards economy, production, business and education level." Now, with Martin stepping down, a new leadership race will open in the Liberal Party, and Volpe is certainly among the possible leaders. "I'm flattered that my name can be considered, but that's all. There will be time for reorganizing the party and choosing a new leader."
Judy Sgro won re-election in her riding of York West with a veritable landslide, obtaining 21,503 votes against 6,299 for her Tory opponent, Parm Gill. "The Liberal result," she declared, "is not the catastrophe forecast by some media on the eve of the election. Moreover, the Tories did not win in Toronto: Harper will have a hard time in establishing good relations with a city that rejected his political platform."
The Prime Minister elect will face a daunting task, according to Sgro. "The numbers," she added, "speak for themselves: the Conservative minority has a truly narrow margin. With their 124 MPs, the Tories will be unable to express a strong government, but will have instead to come into Parliament and confront the oppositions. Frankly, I think that the Harper cabinet will have a short life."
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