Canada Is Voting
Update at 9:30pm [CDT] it looks like another Conservative government with the Tories taking seats from the Liberals, but not enough for a majority [155].
Update at 11:30pm [CDT] :
Conservatives: 143 [+16]
Liberals: 77 [-18]
Bloc Québécois: 49 [+1]
NDP: 37 [+7]
Greens: 0 [-1]
Independents: 2 [-1]
Today is election day in Canada and the polling starting early this morning in Newfoundland, but nothing will be reported until the last polls close on the Pacific Coast at 7pm PDT [9pm CDT].
It is expected that the Conservatives will again be given the opportunity to form a minority government.
Background: There are 308 seats in the Canadian parliament, so 155 are needed for a majority. When the election was called the breakdown was:
Conservatives: 127
Liberals: 95
Bloc Québécois: 48
NDP: 30
Greens: 1
Independents: 3
Vacant: 4
A 28 seat shift is unlikely, but anything can happen. The global economic meltdown occurring at the end of the campaign period can not be seen as good news for the Conservatives who are the government, but a 60 seat gain by the Liberals is less likely than the Conservative numbers.
