圖片來源：Canada.com
Love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world. ～Jack Layton (July 18, 1950 – August 22, 2011)
橙色是現屆加拿大第一正式反對黨 NDP 新民主黨的顏色，黨魁 Jack Layton 患癌，只得 61歲就於八月廿二日不幸離世。在過去的五月份，加拿大舉行全國大選，經過兩屆的小數黨政府，保守黨卒之取得足夠議席成立多數黨政府，不過出人意外的是：NDP 新民主黨能夠打敗自由黨，成為國會內的正式 opposition party 反對黨。
五月份的大選，按 CBC 的統計：保守黨得到167個議席得票率39.62%，新民主黨得到102個議席得票率30.62%，自由黨得到34個議席得票率18.91%，魁人黨得到4個議席得票率6.05%，綠黨的1個議席得票率3.91%，獨立候選人得到零個議席得票率 0.43%。
NDP 這個驚人成績全靠 Jack 的個人魅力，很多的選民都是不問候選議員是何許人，看到是橙色的 NDP 就投下一票，他她們信的就是 Jack Layton。有些新民主黨的候選人，根本沒有從政經驗，見到有空位就填上名字，入表候選空降選區。
【網友 Haricot 舊文】Given the limited choices, and charmed by the charismatic NDP leader Jack Layton, many Quebecois basically voted for the names associated with the NDP.
So, it came as a bit of an embarrassment for voters and the NDPers alike when the media reported that one of the elected MPs, Ms. Ruth Ellen Brosseau, had never set foot in the riding she was supposed to represent, had not done any campaigning (she was vacationing in Las Vegas during part of the election), and spoke little French (her riding was 3/4 Francophones).
To top it off, she beats the next candidate by over 6000 votes and will receive a $157,000 annual salary for each of the next 4 yrs, plus parliamentarian benefits, travel allowances and an office budget of thousands of dollars.
除了 Ms. Ruth Ellen Brosseau，還有五位麥嬌大學的 NDP 新貴：Laurin Liu，Charmaine Borg， Mylène Freeman，Jamie Nicholls，和 Matthew Dubé，都在魁北克省當選。身為 NDP 黨魁 的 Jack 當時力撐，自言會 coaching 這些新民主黨新丁，讓他們 fulfill 作為國會議員 parliament representative 的責任。
身為G8前身G7的一分子，加拿大是發達國家，民主政治經已成熟，不過看看五月份的大選，總得票率略少於四成的保守黨，卻掠奪167個議席（超過半數）成為第一大黨，其黨魁 哈珀 Stephen Harper 成為必然國家總理。就算有多過六成的反對票，Stephen Harper 依然可以安坐總理大臣的寶座，這就是民主政治中少數服從多數嗎？其實卻是多數服從少數。
如今 NDP 新民主黨的主帥 Jack Layton 已去，他的第二任太太 Olivia Chow 和 Jack 與前妻生的兒子 Mike，新媬及孫女 Beatrice 和女兒 Sarah，一遍哀傷目送 Jack 的 casket 靈柩，走到人生最後一程。臨時NDP 黨魁 Nycole Turmel，將會在哀悼過後，安排選舉新一任的黨魁，取代剛剛入伙 Stornoway 不久的 Olivia Chow！
伸延閱覽：
Election 2011 cbc.com
May 2, 2011 Federal Election in Canada Lotus and Cedar
Canadian Democracy Lotus and Cedar
Stornoway (residence) wikipedia.com
我的舊文
我的政治 101.0
我的政治 101.1
Law of Conservation of Momentum 動量不滅（守恆）定律
獨裁者的 Efficiency
英國的簡單多數選舉制
美國的選舉人票 ～ 通吃制
香港的立法會議席出缺替補安排
8 comments:
>> .... 就算有多過六成的反對票，Stephen Harper 依然可以安坐總理大臣的寶座，這就是民主政治中少數服從多數嗎？其實卻是多數服從少數。
The issue was not so much with the democratic process (imperfect as it might be), but with the voting patterns of some of the voters (low turn-out, not familiar with or not interested in policy platforms of the parties, voting for a party leader as opposed to voting for a riding representative, etc).
It should be pointed out, however, that Canadians citizens do have the basic right to vote.
Haricot
>> .... 安排選舉新一任的黨魁，取代剛剛入伙 Stornoway 不久的 Olivia Chow！
Actually, the new NDP leader, whoever he/she might be, will 取代 Jack Layton.
ps: I am not sure if Olivia Chow actually lived at Stornoway.
Haricot
HBB，加拿大不是用比例代表制以票數來分配議席又加拿大總理不是普選出來而是由三百多個議員選出來。
well，HBB 我是看CBC的 Jack Layton 生平回顧才知道有反對黨領袖官邸 Stornoway， I believe when Jack and Olivia 在 Ottawa 開會時 they did stay in stornoway at night rather than flew/ cycling back to Toronto residence！
SBB:
>> ... they did stay in stornoway at night
You're probably right.
Also, I note that you've posted Jack Layton's quote underneath your blog name/title :)
HBB，I have changed the color to orange for one week too！
The colour of "Orange Crush" indeed !!
anyway Orange lasted for the WHOLE week on my blog header！
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