The federal election held on October 14 has been widely panned as a waste of time and money, but it was important to provide a clearer mandate for Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative party.

With a strong minority in place and the public’s lack of appetite for another election any time soon, the government can deliver on the vision it presented during the campaign. Despite the weak minority we had during the last Parliament, we were still able to pass our annual budgets and lots of important legislation. The government has a fresh mandate to tackle new challenges on the horizon, as well as fix old problems that have been put on the back burner.

I am grateful for the support I received on election night. I was honoured to be given the largest plurality I have had since I was first elected in 1993. The people of Yorkton-Melville provided me with a great deal of advice during the campaign and I am anxious to see the next Parliament get under way. I promised to continue to bring the collective voice of Yorkton-Melville to Ottawa, and I have every intention of doing just that.

During the election campaign, parties of every stripe tried to depict their competitors as something less than stellar. The party leaders were often portrayed by their competitors using unflattering photographs and cutting remarks. Negative advertising may be a sign of the times, but I don’t believe it is a good one. The same kind of animosity surfaces during Question Period when members of Parliament try to embarrass their counterparts across the floor. No wonder Canadians are losing faith in their federal representatives, as the recent election turnout indicates. Parliament as a whole needs to show a gentler, kinder side if we are ever going to restore confidence in our political system.

Opposition ads and the leaders’ debate tried to make Prime Minister Harper appear cold and insensitive to the needs of ordinary Canadians. It is worth noting that the M.P.s who attend national caucus with him every Wednesday have quite a different view. Former Liberal M.P.s are often amazed at how open and honest our Conservative caucus sessions tend to be. We are encouraged to voice our opinions in front of the whole group whether we agree with the party line or not. Mr. Harper shows great tolerance for all opinions and deals with the issues as they are introduced – that’s leadership.

Mr. Harper’s willingness to listen should come as good news to Canadians as we fend off international economic instability in the days to come.

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The audio version of Garry's October 27, 2008 op-ed column can be heard by clicking here