On lost mandates

I'm sure any day now we'll see Stephen Harper condemning Tony Abbott's reach for power from a party which doesn't hold a plurality of seats based on an arguable repudiation of the government in power:

Mr Abbott claimed Labor had lost its majority and lost its "legitimacy" to govern.
...
"I think the public expect a change of government as a result of yesterday's result."

And if not, then we'll have every reason to use exactly the same arguments if (as seems likely) the Cons themselves lose seats and legitimacy when the next Canadian election rolls around.