Canada election results: Trudeau expected to maintain grip on power in minority government after fraught election against Scheer
Latest updates from a night of relief and political redemption for Justin Trudeau
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Your support makes all the difference.Justin Trudeau is projected to retain power in the Canada's parliamentary elections, with a likely minority government forming after his Liberal Party shed seats in the country's parliament.
After a vicious campaign season known more for its scandals and vicious attacks than policy, the Liberals walked away from Monday's election with 157 seats — just 13 shiy of a majority.
New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh said he had congratulated Mr Trudeau on winning the most seats and said his party would be a constructive participant in the new parliament.
While it is clearly good news for Mr Trudeau — who has been politically redeemed to some extent after repeated scandal throughout the past year — the sharing of power with the New Democrats will undoubtedly make it difficult to pass legislation in the years ahead.
Conservatives walked away with 121 seats, while Bloc Québécois got 32 seats, and the Green Party got three. The New Democratic Party secured 24 seats.
Mr Trudeau's victory also shows a marked drop in support for the progressive leader, who was swept into power in 2015 promising "real change" in the form of several progressive pledges.
In addition to his scandals, Mr Trudeau has faced criticism for his ability to follow through on those pledges including on the environment, a record that was undercut because he came out in support of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project.
He also abandoned a federal electoral reform plan, which was a favourite of left-leaning voters.
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The biggest surprises of the night haven't been among the leading parties, but instead the smaller parties.
"The poor showing of the NDP and the huge showing of the Bloc Quebecois is a surprise", politics professor Jonathan Rose of Queen's University, Ontario, says. "I also expected the Greens to do a little better. I think they (the Bloc) were expecting 20 seats and to have over 30 is amazing."
Bloc Québécois Party leader Yves-François Blanchet is now speaking to supporters in Quebec, thanking his family, voters and campaigners. The crowd chants in support of the leader after exit polls suggest a strong night for the party, with 32 ridings, which is more than three times the number they got in 2015.
The final polling data from CBC is as follows:
Liberal Party: 156
Conservative Party: 121
BQ: 32
NDP: 25
Green: 3
Independent: 1
Donald Trump has tweeted his congratulations to Justin Trudeau on a "wonderful and hard fought victory".
Both NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and Conservative leader Andrew Scheer have spoken with Justin Trudeau on the phone.
We are still waiting to hear speeches from most of the party leaders, which may give us a clearer idea of what kind of government Canada can expect. We are yet to hear from the Liberal Party, NDP, Conservatives and Green Party.
Most attention will of course be on Justin Trudeau and whether he will give any hint at what he'll do to form a minority government. Trudeau has so far remained silent which party or parties he is willing to partner with. There is also pressure on the Liberal leader to convince the many voters he lost that he'll be able to provide progressive values of the party in light of the numerous scandals he has faced during his first term.
People's Party of Canada (PPC) leader and founder Maxime Bernier has been defeated in Beauceville, Quebec. Here he is kissing his wife Catherine Letarte after the announcement of the results.
Credit: REUTERS/Mathieu Belanger
Bernier lost out to Conservative candidate Richard Lehoux. But also on the ballot was another Maxime Bernier, running for The Rhinoceras Party.
Canadians have voted for a progressive agenda, Justin Trudeau has claimed after he clinched the biggest share of seats in parliament.
It came as Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the leftist New Democrats, congratulated the prime minister and said his party would be a constructive participant in the new parliament.
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