NDP, under an energetic but garrulous new leader, Jack Layton, had hopes of a breakthrough in this election.

ECONOMIST: Canada's election

The party's leader, Jack Layton, wants to see Mr Martin keep his campaign pledges to promote child care and safeguard the country's costly health system.

ECONOMIST: A mandate but no majority for Martin

Jack Layton, the NDP's leader, promised to make French the language of work in federal institutions in the province and to require justices of Canada's Supreme Court to be bilingual.

ECONOMIST: A more confident Quebec has other things to think about