We are heading back to a Liberal minority government 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 10:25 p.m. Pacific time (Monday). 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.”
The Prime Minister elect is among 168 Liberal MPs leading or elected, 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 or elected in 144 ridings, followed by the Bloq with 23 and the New Democrats fourth with seven, which is five away from maintaining official party status. The Green Party had a win in just one riding.
Progressive Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre lost his rural Ottawa riding, a seat he has held since 2004, but said he would stay on as party leader.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh finished third in his Vancouver-area riding and says he’ll step down from his leadership.
“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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