Publication

This commentary reviews the Conservative Party's first year in power post its 2011 victory. It argues that the election reshaped Canadian political geography by leapfrogging the New Democratic Party (NDP) to 'Official Opposition' while plunging the Liberals into a third place with their lowest ever vote percentage. Consequently, much of this year has been devoted to sorting out—both by the government and the opposition. Meanwhile, both the West and Quebec, have begun to bubble. For the West, Alberta once again feels 'dissed' over intimations of federal management of its oil reserves/production. In Quebec, separatists’ hopes are reawakening.