Green Party Leader Loses Election Bid, Conservatives Form Minority in Canada

The Canadian election results are in their early stages but the spotlight is shining on the leader of the Green Party, Elizabeth May. Tonight, it is being reported that May lost her bid to unseat Defence Minister Peter McKay in their Nova Scotia riding.

In the end, it wasn't even close. Global TV Ontario is reporting that early numbers, with 188 of 217 of Central Nova's ridings reporting, McKay is leading by 15,233 votes with May running a distant second with 10,243 votes and NDP candidate Louise Lorefice in third with 6,548 votes. At this point, at 11:00 pm on election night, it is still unclear whether Stephen Harper's Conservative Party can win a flat out majority. The CBC has declared that the Conservatives have been re-elected to at least a minority government with their party leading or elected in 147 ridings; the Liberals leading or elected in 75 ridings; the Bloc leading or elected in 50 ridings; the NDP leading or elected in 35 ridings; and 2 Independents leading or elected in their ridings. Tonight will be a huge disappointment for the Green Party who were aiming for a massive breakthrough and had hopes for winning five to 10 ridings. However, those hopes have fallen far short with at this point, the Greens only getting around 6.5% of the popular vote and no seats leading or elected. As an aside, it is being reported that Justin Trudeau, son of the late Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Eliot Trudeau, is leading in his initial foray into politics in the riding of Papineau in the Montreal area.