>With a Conservative majority, you're essentially assured a fairly business-friendly platform, low taxes, continued investment in energy and potential future energy projects. In terms of investment it's definitely got a bullish bias.
>
>http://ca.news.yahoo.com/conservatives-head-victory-canada-election-022335447.html
>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13259484
>
>May the US follow our hat's lead! *ducking* ;)

I don't believe a conservative majority is the reason Canada has been relatively unscathed by the Great Recession. IMO it's because they let financial regulatory agencies keep their teeth and prevent critical financial institutions from engaging in wildassed speculation. Here we let the regulated run the show, leading to great harm to all of us. Their lobbyists were in the room with legislators when law changes were discussed. That is not right.

Extending the analogy to its limit, bankers and investment bankers are like savage dogs. It's in their DNA. They care about nothing other than personal enrichment. Which is understandable. You just don't let those dogs run free. In this case they can't just be put down -- too big to fail, in the term of art -- but you sure better keep them on a strong leash.

My main regret about the financial reform bill passed last year is that the industry succeeded in watering down a key component of the Paulson plan. It called for a return to the old rules, under which bankers were bankers and investment companies were investors. That way no one is too big to fail. The investors don't have the ability to bring down the whole system, only themselves.