It’s a big win for Prime Minister Stephen Harper as conservatives rout liberals in Canada’s parliament and take 164 of 308 seats:

The Conservatives have finally captured their elusive majority government in tonight’s federal election with the NDP taking its historic place as official opposition, pushing aside the Liberals to a humiliating third place finish.

It is the first time in Canadian history that the Liberal party did not finish either first or second.

Harper’s winning campaign was centered on taxes:

Harper campaigned on a message that the New Democrats stood for higher taxes, higher spending, higher prices and protectionism. He called the election a choice between “a Conservative majority” and “a ramshackle coalition led by the NDP that will not last but will do a lot of destruction.”

Now that he’s won, tax cuts will proceed:

One outcome of Harper’s victory is that planned corporate income tax cuts will move ahead. Canada reduced the federal rate by 1.5 percentage points to 16.5 percent on Jan. 1, and it will fall to 15 percent in 2012 under legislation passed in 2007…

Canada is relying on business investment to help lead the recovery. Energy companies have been a main driver of spending, allowing the country to grow in the fourth quarter at a faster pace than any other Group of Seven country.

Perhaps the current US administration could take a few pointers from Stephen Harper?