Quebec City – Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s first ever majority win Monday night was viewed by a select number of solution providers as a positive for their business at the TechSelect conference.
The Conservatives attained 166 seats at press time, while the New Democratic Party (NDP) became the official opposition for the first time ever with 104 seats.
The Liberal Party and the Bloc Quebecois were devastated and combined only have 35 seats.
Most of the participants at the TechSelect conference were thrilled about Harper’s victory saying that it brings stability in government.
HP Canada channel chief John Cammalleri told CDN that it’s great to have political stability in Canada. “We have been missing that for a while and its good for the Canadian people and the channel. We now have clear leadership and I do believe that’s good for business especially since the economy is growing. I think a majority of Canadians wanted to continue that and they have spoken clearly,” he said.
Tech Data Canada president Rick Reid said he was happy that there will not be another election for four plus years. He said that election costs are unnecessary.
Reid added that the corporate tax cuts, assuming that it now passes with Harper’s majority victory, will be a positive for business.
The Conservatives’ low-tax plan is based on training, trade and low taxes.
Harper said during the campaign that Canada is beginning to emerge from the global recession and that low-tax plan is designed to complete Canada’s economic recovery, protect and create jobs, and provide economic stability for businesses.
Mike Lucas, one of the principal managing partners at Zycom Technology Inc. of Kingston, Ont., said the election results are a positive for his company. “The Department of National Defence buys a lot from us and that tap is not going to stop and the corporate tax cut will mean more money in our pockets. Lower tax rates helps us invest more in our company,” he said.
Wade Ball, who is based in B.C., but works for Calgary-based solution provider Graycon Corp., agreed that the corporate tax cut will make a positive impact on channel business. He added that from a B.C. perspective it will not have too much of an impact because provincially B.C. is Liberal and they only have two seats federally. “This shows you how different it is for us out west and it doesn’t impact us. What it is going to provide, with a majority government, is stability, but in the long term only time will tell,” Ball said.
The historic rise of the NDP, especially in the province of Quebec, came as a surprise to Ball and many other solution providers at this conference, here in Quebec City. Ball said that if he was sitting at home he would be stunned, but when he got to Quebec City on Friday, April 31st he learned that people here are upset at the Bloc Quebecois, hate the Conservatives and do not trust the Liberals. “They told me they are going to vote for the next available party and that’s the NDP,” Ball said.
Frank Haid, vice-president for Tech Data Canada said it was thrilling to be in Quebec at the time of significant change in the province and to see the Bloc Quebecois go down is incredible. “I think the Conservative majority is the best thing to happen to balance out the rise of the NDP. It brings stability and you will see that in the markets,” Haid said.
Todd Crystal, the president of Spencomp Solutions Inc. of Montreal, said as a Quebec-based solution provider the Harper majority allows the channel to have stability in the marketplace for four years.
“The Bloc Quebecois losing means that people are thinking for the good of the country and not just about breaking up the country. They are finally thinking long term,” Crystal said about the historic changes in his province.
“The business community in Quebec has spoken and they do not want the Bloc.”