Harper victory a boost for the oil sands

Canada’s oil and gas industry breathes a sigh of relief as Harper is returned with a majority government

CANADA has emerged from its most turbulent national election in many years with a redrawn political map and a dramatic impact on all four of the largest parties. For the Conservatives, it ended the five years of minority rule that was plainly unpalatable to prime minister Stephen Harper, whose single-minded style leaves little room for give and take. While his three rivals engaged in hand-to-hand combat during the final week of a campaign, he gathered up swing votes from the Liberals to seize control of Ontario, the country’s most populous province, and capture a clear-cut majority win, with 167 of the House of Commons’ 308 seats. Even more stunning was a late surge by the leftist New Democr