Despite a stinging defeat in Monday's federal election, Mike Holland managed to muster a smile and remain optimistic about the future of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Even if Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservatives will rule the country with a majority government.
"I think there were forces bigger than us today," Holland, who placed a distant third in MP voting for Vancouver Island North, said Monday night from Liberal headquarters in Courtenay. "Canucks have the odd bad game; that doesn't mean that the circus is over."
Conservative incumbent John Duncan retained his seat. NDP candidate Ronna-Rae Leonard was second in voting and Sue Moen of the Green Party was fourth.
Nationally, the Tories garnered 40 per cent of the vote, the NDP 31 per cent and the Liberals 19 per cent. Winning just 34 seats, it was the worst defeat in Liberal history.
Holland notes his party was down to 40 seats in the days of former Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney, after which the Tories slid to just two seats after his demise.
"There have been big ebb and flows in Canadian politics," Holland said. "We want to be optimistic and we want to be prepared. I think ultimately Canada is a moderate country, and long-term a moderate party should do well in a moderate country."
Vancouver Island North Liberal constituency president Kevin Langlands does not consider Monday's election a rejection of the Liberal Party, as he considers the Tory defeat in 1993.
"I don't think this is a rejection so much as people want to try something new for a while," Langlands said. "As a political party we have to find the options to offer people in the future to bring them back to us. It makes sense. After three minority governments people want to try something a little different. The NDP has a great opportunity as the Official Opposition."
Locally, Holland said the Liberals were stronger than the past federal election in terms of volunteer numbers and money.
"We're disappointed locally, but we're proud of everybody who's worked here."
Like Canada as a whole, Holland notes the political landscape on Vancouver Island has "ebbed and flowed historically." At one time, he recalls all Island seats were NDP provincially but Reform Party federally.
"That's an odd mix, but it does speak to people who seem to feel alienated from power," said Holland, 57, who has been a Comox Valley resident since 1959.
Does a Harper majority scare him?
"I wouldn't have run if I wasn't frightened," Holland said. "(But) The people speak. They say what kind of government we have. They've spoken tonight."
He was comforted by the fact that the Bloc Québécois was nearly "wiped out" in its home province.
"That's a big positive for Canada," Holland said.
As for the NDP, he said it remains to be seen how party leader Jack Layton will reconcile the separatists with the rest of his caucus in Ontario and Western Canada.
"Ultimately I think the best thing for the Liberal Party is for people to see more of the Conservatives and the NDP," Holland said. "Liberals have ruled Canada for most of its history, and I think that's because they are the centre party."
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com