Election blues

The real concern is the historic low in support. There was a poor voter turnout everywhere -- Liberal voters stayed home. That cannot happen again.

Dion's future questioned after renewed Tory minority

BRODIE FENLON AND CAMPBELL CLARK Globe and Mail

Stéphane Dion's future as Liberal Leader is the key post-ballot question as final results from Tuesday's election show his party sank to its lowest level of popular support since Confederation.

The Conservatives under Stephen Harper return to Parliament with a stronger minority government of 143 seats on the strength of gains in Ontario and British Columbia, though they fell short of a majority due largely to campaign missteps in Quebec.

But the focus Wednesday turned quickly to Mr. Dion, whose party ended the night with 76 seats – down from 95 when the election was called – and just 26.2 per cent of popular support, a historic low that surpasses the 28 per cent the John Turner-led Liberals garnered in 1984.The Conservatives won 37.6 per cent of the popular vote, up one percentage point from 2006
James Morton