Canada: Justin Trudeau set to become PM for third time after Liberals win polls

Justin Trudeau is poised to become the Prime Minister of Canada for the third time as Canadian broadcasters project Liberal Party's win in the September 20 election. In less than six years, Trudeau, who has been in office since 2015, has won three general elections. Many voters are still in line casting ballots, possibly for several more hours, and it is unclear whether Trudeau's Liberal Party can recover a majority in Parliament. Because Canada has numerous time zones, polling locations closed at different times on the evening of September 20, ANI reported.

Trudeau, 49, has won Papineau, Quebec. Liberals are expected to win the election held on Monday, though it is unclear if this will be a minority or majority mandate, ANI reported quoting Canadian broadcasters. The Conservatives, led by Erin O'Toole, are expected to be the main opposition. With 5% of the votes counted, the Liberals presently lead in 141 ridings across the country, outnumbering the Conservatives in 99 ridings and the Bloc Quebecois in 25 of Quebec's electoral districts. Trudeau's party presently has 37.5% of the vote, with 34.0% for the Conservatives and 16.2% for the New Democrats (NDP). All 338 seats in Canada's House of Commons are up for grabs, with the victor determined by a disputed first-past-the-post system, in which the candidate with the most votes wins without the need for a runoff voting. A majority government requires at least 170 seats, while most estimates now lead to a minority administration.

Justin Trudeau announced a snap election last month

Last month, amid the COVID outbreak, Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau announced a snap election, anticipating that his virus management would help his government win a majority. The predicted outcome would put Trudeau in power, allowing him to pursue the country's most left-leaning agenda in at least a generation. Even if the Liberals win a minority, the early results indicate that they will form a stable government, allowing Trudeau to continue with his big-spending plan, supported mainly by his government's most likely partner, the left-leaning New Democratic Party.

To differing degrees, both parties have campaigned on increased taxes for firms and harsher pollution restrictions for the oil and gas industry. In 2019, the Bloc Quebecois, a party that only runs candidates in Quebec's French-speaking province, was elected or led in 29 ridings, while the NDP led in 29.

Canadians and minority governments

The Liberal triumph represents a watershed moment for Trudeau, as it is only the eighth time a Canadian prime minister has won three elections in a row. It also marks a sort of comeback for Trudeau, whose party had been lagging in the polls halfway through the five-week campaign. Canadians are familiar with minority governments. Five minority governments have emerged from the last seven elections, each lasting around two years on average. They're popular because making legislation requires the collaboration of multiple parties.

However, there is a drawback. Minority legislatures keep parties on a perpetual campaign footing and limit their ability to think about long-term challenges. In practice, this means that politicians are hesitant to address significant issues such as Canada's declining competitiveness or the country's delayed transition to a low-carbon economy.

(With inputs from ANI)

Image: AP