My college roomate lives in VC BC and we have been discussing the the recent Prime Minister elect change to the Canadian Conservative Party.  I thought y'all might like his reply to me:

"We’re in a far better position, and I think this party has all the opportunity in the world to make some real improvements.  That said they’re going to have to be very clever politically and move really quickly over the next 18 months to get anything done with a minority.  Next election will likely be in 18 months so what they’re able to accomplish in the interim will determine if they can defeat the Liberals once they’ve rebuilt themselves.  

N. Korea & Iran don’t even hit the radar screen, and even if they did, there’s very little that could be done with our military assets and under the realities of a minority government.  In no particular order, some of the pressing issues the Conservatives are going to try and address in short order:

Ø       Government Accountability Legislation – Shame we actually need this, but corruption is what brought the last government down.

Ø       Representation by Population – Prince Edward Island has 140k people and 4 seats in the House of Commons.  Vancouver Island has 770k people and 6 seats.  Nuff’ said?

Ø       Minimum Sentencing for Violent Crimes – Our judiciary has been completely irresponsible over the past 25 years and has lost the privilege of determining sentencing.  Perpetrators are now treated like victims and vice versa.  That needs to be sorted out tout de suite.

Ø       Rebuilding the Military – It’s in such abysmal condition we can’t even tell when you guys are screwing around under our ice cap.  The Conservatives plan to establish sub bases in the North to assert sovereignty, re-open some of the military bases that the Liberals have closed, and increase our per capita military spending so that perhaps we can catch Norway one day.    

Ø       Decentralization of Power – Provinces need more latitude on self government, and when we quit sending so much $ to Ottawa, he’ll shrink the federal government to a more appropriate size.

Ø       Organized Crime / Gun Control / More Cops – Headlines in Toronto & Montreal are starting to look like US city headlines.  No offence intended, but that’s one thing that is absolutely unacceptable to all of us up here and it must be fixed.

Ø       Senate Reform – We need to start electing them instead of having the PM appoint his friends and allies.  Duh.

Ø       US Trade Relations – 95% of our exports go to the US and we’ve had 2 continuous trade battles over the past 5+ years (lumber & beef).  Perhaps our MPs could grow up a little and stop publicly calling you names.

(I mentioned a possible pending 100 year Judeo-Christian/Muslim war)

I don’t see that 100 year war, too much of an imbalance in power.  Continuous minor skirmishes around the globe - some that will fit into your characterization, many that won’t.  I don’t think this stuff is new, but what is new is North America’s awareness and involvement.  What I can see is China taking over the #1 slot over the next 10-15 years – they’re dialed in and headed in the right neo-capitalist direction.  Greenspan’s out of the picture and even if you guys elected a fiscally responsible administration, it would take them a couple of terms to get your ship turned back in the right direction.  Unless China seriously stubs its dink, nothing’s stopping that train. "