Yep, he showed them

Prime Minister Stephen Harper boasted yesterday that he'd defied the odds and expectations by staying in power for four years. This morning, on the fourth anniversary of his 2006 election win, I went looking for all these naysayers, who apparently only gave him 18 months at best.

Here's what The Globe and Mail editorial said:

With such restrained opposition, ushering legislation through Parliament is do-able — but it will require finesse. Mr. Harper has a model that will likely guide him: the intricate web of bureaucratic and political consultations that kept Ontario premier William Davis in minority power from 1977 to 1981.

Calgary Herald columnist Don Martin offered this prediction:

But Harper should be dealing from a position of strength for a couple years, armed with policies no rival would dare force an election on in the short term. They include bills to clean up government and make it more accountable, lowering the GST to six and then to five per cent, kick-starting a child-care subsidy, finding a way to resolve the patient waiting lists, and bringing on tough justice.

Canadian Press:

OTTAWA - Prime minister-designate Stephen Harper began preparing yesterday for a minority Conservative Parliament that will have little wiggle room for major policy initiatives but that observers expect to survive for at least the next couple of years.

CTV's Tom Clark:

Well, you know, it occurs to me, though, that we have at least a year and a half before anything happens because the Liberals will have to go through a leadership campaign to replace Paul Martin. And that takes time and it takes a lot of money. So, the natural ally for the Conservatives, believe it or not, for the next year and a half is going to be the Liberal Party. Nobody else. Because the Liberals won't want to see this Parliament brought down before they have a new leader. So, I think we've probably got a little bit of time here.

Kitchener-Waterloo Record columnist Geoffrey Stevens:

But if he runs his government with the same control and discipline that he ran his election campaign, he could "pull a Dief." John Diefenbaker, like Harper an Ontario-born westerner, came to office in 1957 with an even weaker minority -- 113 of 265 seats. Like Harper, Diefenbaker managed to establish a base in Quebec -- with eight seats, compared to Harper's 10. While the opposition Liberals went about changing leaders, Diefenbaker positioned his government perfectly for the next election. In 1958, the Conservatives grabbed 209 seats (including an astonishing 50 in Quebec) and reduced the Grits to a rump of 48.

And here's a Liberal prediction:

John Manley, the former deputy prime minister to Jean Chretien, and one of the likely challengers for Martin's job, alluded to that point Monday night.

``If we lived in a perfect world,'' Manley mused in a CBC interview, ``maybe what would happen here is that some of the parties would agree to say: `Look, Canada really does not deserve to have another election for two years.

Comments

[Patrick]

What colour do you think the sky is in HarperWorld?

With this reality check, along with his bizarre statements about his crime bill being held up by the House when in fact it was held up by his cabinet (and lets face it, he is his own cabinet) I am starting to wonder just how the PM is feeling these days...

[ksr]

Is this a joke. Stephen Harper has been underestimated at every step of the way, including after forming government.

Anybody can go back and find editorials that say that they saw his ascent coming, that he would be able to hold the two parties together, and that his government would last, but the overwhelming opinion at the time was that this was a temporary blip in the normal course of things in Canadian politics.

[MJH]

Typical Star selective quotations to make a biased point. Please give us some balance!!

[Peter Reynolds]

You want balance? Tell Harper to get Parliament back in session!

[geo]

Harper is writing a book on hockey.
Harper knows hockey and he knows how to play the political game even better.
So far the score has been Harper 1,Opposition 0.
Harper's goal is to get a majority and he's patient enough to play the game and wait til he gets it.....and he will.

[John D]

I agree with geo, Harper's as good at being PM as he is at writing that hockey book...

[Thane]

Are you suggesting that in your search, you found no editorials, comments, or opinions suggesting that the life of a minority gov't would be short, Ms Delacourt?

[MyThought]

geo - life is not a game - not a hockey "game".

Harper only got interested in hockey in the last few years - it's equal to Bush's ranch - image.

[Barcs]

..... noticing there is no quote from the star saying the same.... go figger.
.
I also wonder if those quotes were taking a proposed year long leadership battle into account. How about the 2008 election about 3 years into the mandate?

[jenna]

This piece from the Montreal Gazette gives a rather more balanced perspective for anyone interested.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Harper+defies+skeptics+Tories+enter+Year/2475078/story.html

[Jon Drake]

I look forward to another four years of Conservative government. Nothing has changed with the Liberals or NDP that would make me want to support them.

[Gabby in QC]

I vaguely recall weekly conversations around Don Newman’s table with the Press Gallery pundits, the topic usually being the likely timing of the next election. Unfortunately, I have no quotes to regale your readers with.

But does this one count?
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060123/elxn_tranition_story_060123/20060124
“Tories begin process of transition to government
By: Andy Johnson, CTV.ca News
Date: Tue. Jan. 24 2006 3:29 PM ET
… With this election resulting in a minority Conservative government, **Canadians can expect to be election-free for about the next 18 months, [political science professor at Queen's University] Brock said,** adding that if an election is called before that period has passed, the party that pushed it tends to get punished in the polls. …”

[Ozy3]

It's hilarious how the Harper sheep celebrate the fact that Harper has stayed longer in power than anticipated because he has tainted the way Canadian politics was handled. 2006 and 2008 have shown the adoption in Canada of the worst tactics in democracies, ranging from ad hominem slurs against opposition members (anti-semites, etc) to blatant, outright lies (an Opposition Coalition is an "undemocratic" theft of voters' choice - in 2008 but not in 2004 when Harper was asking for one from the GG, apparently). The fact that he's been in power is due to the fact that Canadian voters have NOT been aware of the government's performance or held it accountable for its inconsistencies! We've been distracted by neocon dirty tactics adopted from the Ari Fleisher consultants and we've focused on Dion's accent or Ignatieff's teaching history while a structural deficit has been growing and our international relations have been flushed down the toilet. And we're supposed to congratulate Harper for duping the public into destroying the opposition rather than voting him into power? With this kind of stupidity, Canadians deserve the crash Harpo is going to cause to this country. You're so beyond stupid, it's just sad.

[Patsplace]

Looking at the efforts of the very people that want the Liberal Pig Trough back in place, at the MSM that will be spoon fed the slop that will be called news and the Unions that will hold Canada hostage with the help of the government is enough to make a person sick.

The Conservatives have had an enormous uphill battle with a Liberal dominated Senate, two Socialist Parties and the Liberals driving left as well, plus a leftist MSM that were hostile from the start and remain hostile, even when they are doing it with tax payer dollars. They've done really well.

Cutting the government sponsorship of political parties would be a good thing. Chretian brought it in, knowing full well that it would benefit Quebec and that he would have a happy retirement being the guy that made it possible for the Bloc to never have to fund raise again. Treacherous little pric# that he is.

[Observant]

Stephen Harper has earned the trust of most Canadians, and now Canadians should elect a majority Conservative gov't and 4 years of electoral peace and stability. His stewardship of the country is exemplary in the most trying of situations - the global economic recession with Canada emerging in the best of shape of any other country in the world.

Canada, outside of Quebec, has elected a majority Conservative gov't with 123 of 233 ridings voting Conservative for a 57% majority.

It is only Quebec which denies Canada a strong and stable majority gov't by electing 49 BQ separatists out of an available 75 ridings in Quebec. It is Quebec voters who cripple Canada's central gov't with their 65% support of BQ separatists.

In any next election, the rest of Canada must elect 155+ Conservative MPs to neuter the BQ Quebec separatists, if Canadians want a strong, united gov't and country. Choose, Canada....!!!!