We are heading back to a Liberal government this morning with Prime Minister Mark Carney holding on to the title that fell to him following Justin Trudeau’s resignation.
“Who’s ready to stand up for Canada with me?” Carney asked rhetorically, kicking off his victory speech at approximately 1:25 a.m. Eastern time. Recognizing the closeness of the popular vote, Carney reached out to those who voted Progressive Conservative: “I will always do my best to represent everyone who calls Canada home.”
It is still too close to call a majority or minority, even with 73,771 of 75,482 of polls reporting, or 97.73 per cent, though we are tilting closer to a minority at this stage.
The Prime Minister elect is among 167 Liberal MPs leading their races at this hour, but the party was unable to break the 172 threshold to capture a majority.
The Conservative Party of Canada is sitting as the official opposition leading in 145 ridings, with the New Democrats a distant fourth behind the Bloq, leading in only eight ridings, four away from maintaining official party status.
Progressive Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre was trailing the Liberal candidate in his riding by roughly 1,200 votes with 251 of 266 polls reporting, but said he would stay on as party leader.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh was well back in third in his riding, and he announced he will step down as leader once a replacement is named. Singh had to pause often to compose himself during his emotional speech.
“Change takes time,” was Poilievre’s go-to three-word catch-phrase in his concession speech.
Fourth-consecutive mandate
This marks a fourth-consecutive mandate for the Liberal party.
The election was deemed by many pundits to be a choice of which party and leader would have the best chance to defend Canada’s interests in the ongoing trade tariff war with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Other major issues included housing affordability, general economic stability and climate policy and carbon taxes.
Turnout was a major story line, with advance polling numbers topping 7 million in four days of voting.
When Parliament dissolved in March, the Liberals held a 153 seats, with the CPC filling 120 seats, Bloc MPs taking up 33 seats and the NDP having 24 Members of Parliament.
Swearing-in ceremonies will be confirmed for new MPs in the days ahead.
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