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| In Canada, Surprise Win for Justin Trudeau | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| OTTAWA — The nine-year reign of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative Party came to a sudden and stunning end on Monday night at the hands of Justin Trudeau, the young leader of the Liberal Party, according to projections by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and other networks. | OTTAWA — The nine-year reign of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative Party came to a sudden and stunning end on Monday night at the hands of Justin Trudeau, the young leader of the Liberal Party, according to projections by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and other networks. |
| Following a Liberal sweep of the Atlantic provinces and the arrival of the first results from much of the rest of the country, the networks projected a Liberal government. The upset victory occurred 47 years after Mr. Trudeau’s father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, swept to power. | Following a Liberal sweep of the Atlantic provinces and the arrival of the first results from much of the rest of the country, the networks projected a Liberal government. The upset victory occurred 47 years after Mr. Trudeau’s father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, swept to power. |
| If the projections are correct, Justin Trudeau, who will be 44 on Christmas Day, will become Canada’s second-youngest prime minister. | If the projections are correct, Justin Trudeau, who will be 44 on Christmas Day, will become Canada’s second-youngest prime minister. |
| While the Liberal Party had emerged on top in several polls over the past week, its lead was short of conclusive. And Mr. Trudeau lacked the glamorous brio of his father. There was no ambiguity, however, in the first results from Monday’s vote. The party won or was leading in all but one of the Atlantic provinces’ 32 electoral districts. It captured more than 60 percent of the popular vote in the region, an exceptionally high level in a national election. | While the Liberal Party had emerged on top in several polls over the past week, its lead was short of conclusive. And Mr. Trudeau lacked the glamorous brio of his father. There was no ambiguity, however, in the first results from Monday’s vote. The party won or was leading in all but one of the Atlantic provinces’ 32 electoral districts. It captured more than 60 percent of the popular vote in the region, an exceptionally high level in a national election. |
| Dominic LeBlanc, a prominent Liberal member of Parliament who was handily re-elected in New Brunswick, attributed the party’s success, after years in the political wilderness, to Mr. Trudeau, who became the party’s leader in 2013. | Dominic LeBlanc, a prominent Liberal member of Parliament who was handily re-elected in New Brunswick, attributed the party’s success, after years in the political wilderness, to Mr. Trudeau, who became the party’s leader in 2013. |
| “I hope what this tells us is Canadians across the country have responded positively to Mr. Trudeau’s positive message,” he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. | “I hope what this tells us is Canadians across the country have responded positively to Mr. Trudeau’s positive message,” he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. |
| As votes were being counted in Ontario and Quebec, the provinces that account for about two thirds of Canada’s population, the extent of the Liberals’ win was still not fully clear. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation said it could not project if the Liberals will hold a voting majority in the next House of Commons, which requires 170 seats, until more results became available. | As votes were being counted in Ontario and Quebec, the provinces that account for about two thirds of Canada’s population, the extent of the Liberals’ win was still not fully clear. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation said it could not project if the Liberals will hold a voting majority in the next House of Commons, which requires 170 seats, until more results became available. |
| It is a remarkable turnaround for the Liberals. During the last election in 2011, the party fell to third place for the first time in its history, holding just 34 seats. Even before all of the voting ended on Monday, the party had won or was leading in 152 electoral districts. The Conservatives had won or were leading 95 seats and the New Democratic Party had 25. | It is a remarkable turnaround for the Liberals. During the last election in 2011, the party fell to third place for the first time in its history, holding just 34 seats. Even before all of the voting ended on Monday, the party had won or was leading in 152 electoral districts. The Conservatives had won or were leading 95 seats and the New Democratic Party had 25. |
| For much of the 78-day race, all three major political parties were in a statistical dead heat, according to various polls. Canadians only vote for members of Parliament, not the prime minister or parties, making it difficult to translate poll findings. And Mr. Harper won the three previous elections without ever exceeding 40 percent of the popular vote. | For much of the 78-day race, all three major political parties were in a statistical dead heat, according to various polls. Canadians only vote for members of Parliament, not the prime minister or parties, making it difficult to translate poll findings. And Mr. Harper won the three previous elections without ever exceeding 40 percent of the popular vote. |
| That had left analysts offering a range of possible results from Mr. Harper being returned with another minority government, some form of Liberal government or a muddy situation in which there was no clear victor. | That had left analysts offering a range of possible results from Mr. Harper being returned with another minority government, some form of Liberal government or a muddy situation in which there was no clear victor. |
| Regardless of the three major parties’ positions in the opinion surveys, analysts and campaigners in Canada were acutely aware that the comprehensive victory in Britain of David Cameron’s Conservative Party in May had not been forecast by polling firms. And election laws ban the release of polling information while voting is still underway. | Regardless of the three major parties’ positions in the opinion surveys, analysts and campaigners in Canada were acutely aware that the comprehensive victory in Britain of David Cameron’s Conservative Party in May had not been forecast by polling firms. And election laws ban the release of polling information while voting is still underway. |
| While the Canadian election was initially met with summer-vacation indifference when it was called on Aug. 2, the dramatic ending appeared to have attracted voter interest. | While the Canadian election was initially met with summer-vacation indifference when it was called on Aug. 2, the dramatic ending appeared to have attracted voter interest. |
| Turnout fell to as low as 58.8 percent in 2008 and was 61.1 percent in the last parliamentary elections, in 2011. But the agency that supervises federal elections reported that 71 percent more people had cast early ballots this month than did four years ago. | Turnout fell to as low as 58.8 percent in 2008 and was 61.1 percent in the last parliamentary elections, in 2011. But the agency that supervises federal elections reported that 71 percent more people had cast early ballots this month than did four years ago. |
| News reports indicated that voters faced unusually long lines at some of the 66,000 polling stations on Monday. A rush of traffic temporarily overwhelmed the website of Elections Canada, the agency responsible for federal votes. | News reports indicated that voters faced unusually long lines at some of the 66,000 polling stations on Monday. A rush of traffic temporarily overwhelmed the website of Elections Canada, the agency responsible for federal votes. |
| For many Canadians, the election became something of a referendum on Mr. Harper’s approach to government, which, in the view of his critics, has been heavy-handed and often focused on issues important to core Conservative supporters rather than to much of the population. | For many Canadians, the election became something of a referendum on Mr. Harper’s approach to government, which, in the view of his critics, has been heavy-handed and often focused on issues important to core Conservative supporters rather than to much of the population. |
| The focus of the campaign fluttered among issues, including a scandal over Conservative senators’ expenses; antiterrorism measures Mr. Harper introduced; pensions; the stagnation of the economy, brought about by plunging oil prices; the government’s handling of refugees; the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact; and Mr. Harper’s attempts to ban the wearing of face veils known as niqabs during citizenship ceremonies. | The focus of the campaign fluttered among issues, including a scandal over Conservative senators’ expenses; antiterrorism measures Mr. Harper introduced; pensions; the stagnation of the economy, brought about by plunging oil prices; the government’s handling of refugees; the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact; and Mr. Harper’s attempts to ban the wearing of face veils known as niqabs during citizenship ceremonies. |
| Many analysts have said that Mr. Harper called the election partly in the hope that the more voters saw of Mr. Trudeau during his first term as leader of the Liberals, the less they would like him. Early Conservative ads emphasized Mr. Trudeau’s relative political inexperience and concluded with the slogan, “Just not ready.” | Many analysts have said that Mr. Harper called the election partly in the hope that the more voters saw of Mr. Trudeau during his first term as leader of the Liberals, the less they would like him. Early Conservative ads emphasized Mr. Trudeau’s relative political inexperience and concluded with the slogan, “Just not ready.” |
| If that was the case, it backfired. | If that was the case, it backfired. |
| Although Mr. Trudeau has been prone to occasional verbal slips since assuming his leadership role, including the use of a vulgar metaphor in response to Mr. Harper’s decision to commit Royal Canadian Air Force fighters to the multinational campaign against the Islamic State, he has grown in stature over the course of the election. | Although Mr. Trudeau has been prone to occasional verbal slips since assuming his leadership role, including the use of a vulgar metaphor in response to Mr. Harper’s decision to commit Royal Canadian Air Force fighters to the multinational campaign against the Islamic State, he has grown in stature over the course of the election. |
| He proved able at crucial events, like a debate on foreign policy, where even some Liberals feared that he might stumble. Late in the campaign, the Liberals flipped the Conservative slogan to “Ready” in its ads. | He proved able at crucial events, like a debate on foreign policy, where even some Liberals feared that he might stumble. Late in the campaign, the Liberals flipped the Conservative slogan to “Ready” in its ads. |
| In a symbol of the Liberals’ confidence, Mr. Trudeau used part of his final day of campaigning on Sunday to visit Alberta, Mr. Harper’s adopted province and the Conservative Party’s power base. An energy program introduced in 1980 by the elder Mr. Trudeau had for decades made the Liberal Party almost toxic in the province, which is dominated by the oil and gas industry. Mr. Trudeau’s stops included Calgary, Mr. Harper’s hometown and a place that has not elected a Liberal since 1968. | In a symbol of the Liberals’ confidence, Mr. Trudeau used part of his final day of campaigning on Sunday to visit Alberta, Mr. Harper’s adopted province and the Conservative Party’s power base. An energy program introduced in 1980 by the elder Mr. Trudeau had for decades made the Liberal Party almost toxic in the province, which is dominated by the oil and gas industry. Mr. Trudeau’s stops included Calgary, Mr. Harper’s hometown and a place that has not elected a Liberal since 1968. |
| That victory 47 years ago was part of a wave of Liberal triumphs that became known as Trudeaumania. | That victory 47 years ago was part of a wave of Liberal triumphs that became known as Trudeaumania. |
| After spending most of the campaign delivering standard election speeches to invitation-only crowds, Mr. Harper took a more theatrical approach in the final days. At campaign stops, as he recited his party’s claims of what a Liberal government would cost individual families, a recording of an old-fashioned cash register bell repeatedly pealed through loudspeakers and audience members piled what appeared to be currency on tables. | After spending most of the campaign delivering standard election speeches to invitation-only crowds, Mr. Harper took a more theatrical approach in the final days. At campaign stops, as he recited his party’s claims of what a Liberal government would cost individual families, a recording of an old-fashioned cash register bell repeatedly pealed through loudspeakers and audience members piled what appeared to be currency on tables. |
| Tom Mulcair, the leader of the New Democratic Party, who had insisted that the election should be focused on removing the Conservatives from power, devoted much of the final hours of his campaign to attacking the Liberals. | Tom Mulcair, the leader of the New Democratic Party, who had insisted that the election should be focused on removing the Conservatives from power, devoted much of the final hours of his campaign to attacking the Liberals. |