Liberals end decade of Conservative rule in Canada elections

THE Liberal Party in Canada has won the general election on Monday October 19 and their leader, Justin Trudeau, will be the first new Prime Minister in 10 years.

The result meant a fourth term for the Conservatives and incumbent Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who has been in the position since 2006, has been ruled out.

Harper conceded defeat and said he will resign as leader of the Conservatives, however, he plans to stay on in parliament as a lawmaker.

“The people of Canada have elected a Liberal government, which we accept without hesitation,” he said in Calgary.

Trudeau said that Canadians “sent a clear message tonight, it’s time for a change.”

“We beat fear with hope, we beat cynicism with hard work. Most of all we defeated the idea that Canadians should be satisfied with less,” he added.

The Liberal victory was resounding with the party looking to take 184 seats, compared with their showing of 36 in 2011. The party is the first to ever move from third place in parliament to a majority in one election.

Also in the election race was the New Democratic Party (NDP) led by Thomas Mulcair. The NDP has 44 seats in the new parliament. Separatists Bloc Quebecois hold 10 and the Green Party has one.

The NDP were initially the official Opposition to the Harper led Conservative government. Mulcair did not say if he would step down as NDP leader but he congratulated Trudeau:

“From the very outset this election has been about change. Tonight Canadians have turned a page and reject the politics of fear and division.”