Justin Trudeau’s Liberals win Canada election but miss majority

Canadians have given Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party a victory in parliamentary elections, but his gamble to win a majority of seats failed.

The 49-year-old channelled the star power of his father, former PM Pierre Trudeau, when he first won an election in 2015 and has led his party to the top finish in two elections since.

Mr Trudeau’s Liberals were leading or elected in 156 seats – one less than they won 2019, and 14 short of the 170 needed for a majority in the House of Commons.

The Conservatives were leading or elected in 121 seats, the same number they won in 2019. The leftist New Democrats were leading or elected in 27, a gain of three seats, while the Quebec-based Bloc Quebecois remained unchanged with 32 seats and the Greens were down to two.

“You are sending us back to work with a clear mandate to get Canada through this pandemic,” Mr Trudeau said.

“I hear you when you say you just want to get back to the things you love and not worry about this pandemic or an election.”

Mr Trudeau entered the election leading a stable minority government that was not under threat of being toppled.

The opposition was relentless in accusing Mr Trudeau of calling an unnecessary early vote – two years before the deadline – for his own personal ambition.

“Trudeau lost his gamble to get a majority so I would say this is a bittersweet victory for him,” said Daniel Beland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal.