Canada: Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party win Election 2021

Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party has won its third straight Canadian election, according to news networks such as CTV and CBC.

Following a 36-day campaign, the news networks are forecasting that the Liberals will form another minority government.

The final election results are expected to be delayed due to pandemic-related issues such as longer waits at polling stations and more Canadians deciding to mail in their votes. Usually the final results of federal elections are known the same night as elections but in this case, the final results are unlikely to be known until Tuesday at the earliest.

At least 170 seats out of the Canadian Parliament’s 338 seats are needed for a majority. A majority government enables the ruling party to implement any legislative changes that they wish without needing the support of opposition parties. In minority governments, the ruling party must work with the opposition in order to pass laws and maintain power.

The Liberal Party of Canada won a majority in the 2015 election but was relegated to a minority government following the 2019 election. Last month, Trudeau forced an election two years before his government’s four year term was set to expire as he sought to achieve another majority.

Discover if You’re Eligible for Canadian Immigration

In the 2019 election, the Liberals won with 157 seats and 33.1 per cent of the popular vote, whereas the Conservatives won the popular vote at 34.3 per cent, but only secured 121 seats. Forecasts suggest the Liberals will win a similar number of seats in this election.

The Conservatives will finish second, as expected, with the Bloc Quebecois and New Democratic Party (NDP) rounding out the top four parties.

The Liberals and Conservatives traded spots in national polling throughout the campaign in what was a very close race. They are the only two parties to ever govern Canada since the country was founded in 1867.

Throughout the campaign, immigration took a back seat to issues such as climate change, affordable housing, and economic recovery. However, both the Liberals and Conservatives promised to increase immigration, address the backlog in applications, and improve credential recognition.