I am remarkably pleased with this outcome. As someone who despises the current incarnation of all four major federal parties, it's probably close to the mix I would have voted for, had we had that option.

Good things:

-We are no longer run by this country's version of Mexico's PRI

-The Liberal Party's nutsack gets a good tazering. They've needed it for a while.

-Paul Martin resigns. Maybe someone new and good can come along. (I suspect I'm an Ignatieff Liberal at heart, so we'll see how that plays out).

-The Cons did less well than predicted, and face three much more progressive parties.

-We now have two funcioning national parties, instead of just one. This, I hope, will raise everybody's game.

-The Bloc Quebecois lost seats and popular vote.

-NDP gained ground, which offsets IMO much of the Conservative advance.

-Now the "West" has _nothing_ to kvetch about. (Hah!)

-The federal politics are less crippled by the potentially fatal four-way regional standoff (AKA Canadian standoff).

-Conservative minority, with an actual or ad hoc coalition with either the Bloc or the NDP, occupies basically the same space on the political spectrum as the Liberal and old Progressive Conservative majorities have since 1984, if not earlier.

-Ignatieff in; Bulte out; Kent out; Stronach in (teehee); Chow in;

-The person I voted for did not get in, which is okay with me, because I really dislike her, and was none too pleased about having to choose her.

-If I thought my decision was a tough one, at least I'm not elligible to vote in the Palestinian Authority (good luck over there!).

-The Gomery business was close to the worst kind of political corruption. Hopefully we've taken care of it.

Bad things:

-Wappel in (grrrr!); Fry in (I think); Minna in; the Maritimes look like goofballs.

-Albertans still vote like Midwich Cuckoos, provincially and federally.

-I'm worried about the CBC