North Vancouver New Democrats ran to the Liberals and lost anyway. As of 9:30 p.m., Conservative Andrew Saxton was leading Liberal incumbent Don Bell by 42.4 per cent to 37.3 per cent.

"Given the demographics," said NDP veteran Jean Macintyre, "it's hardly surprising." (She's the "smooching Dipper" who turned up unexpectedly in a Liberal attack ad a couple of weeks ago.)

In 2006, the percentages were almost exactly reversed. Bell won re-election easily with 42 per cent of the vote. His nearest rival, Cindy Silver of the Conservatives, had 36 per cent. The NDP’s Sherry Shaghaghi came in a distant third and Jim Stephenson finished fourth.

This time around, Shaghaghi herself supported Bell, and New Democrats were talking seriously about strategic voting. Tonight, they had clearly done just that—and lost anyway. NDP candidate Michael Charrois had only 9.6 per cent of the vote at 9:30.

Jim Stephenson of the Greens was at 10.5 per cent. If half his his supporters had also gone to Bell, North Vancouver would not have sent a Tory to Ottawa.

Look for Dippers and Liberals to start thinking about the lesson Stephen Harper should have taught them: Merge or lose.