On Blackouts

So. Apparently results are not going to be blacked out this time around. While I'm sure this is a great victory for freedom of information, I'm thinking (in this election especially) that results may be influenced by this. By which I mean, if the Tories are cleaning up in Atlantic Canada and Ontario, I think you're going to see a lot more NDP and/or Green votes swing Liberal out west (particularly in BC and Saskatchewan, where the impact would be greater) in an attempt to thwart a Conservative government (of any permutation). This would fit with the tactic that the Grits have taken lately in their commercials and speeches. Make Harper appear scary enough, so that even if he picks up votes out east, maybe the western votes can help ensure a Liberal minority. Likewise (though, I doubt this will be a problem this year) we may see future elections where the turnout drops in the west, if majority governments are already sown up with the Quebec and Ontario vote. While I recognise that enforcement is virtually impossible, the limit on election coverage until the polls had closed in a given area was one which I considered reasonable.