I cant really understand where the Libs and NDPs were in voting in a manner that caused an election. The polls put Harper in the lead for some time, and he stayed there through the election. I suspect, knowing that, he was quite happy to have the election, not be seen to force it hmself and take a shot at a majority, which was in the cards as a possibility from day one of the election call.

Anyway as to Quebec. If the election were in reverse, and the west had few if any members in government, as Quebec has, how represented would they feel? I suspect Alberta can remember the isolation they felt in the Trudeau years? There was even a separation movement in that general area during the period. I sduspect the governing folks should not forget, and be sensative to, that feeling in a society.