Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not lose his job after all.
Trudeau and his federal Liberals prevailed in the October 21, 2019 national election, but lost their majority in the House of Commons.
Official results gave Trudeau and his party 157 seats in the 338-member chamber, down from 177.
This means that Trudeau will be leading a minority government.
In his first media conference on October 23 after the election, Trudeau ruled out forming a coalition government despite an election victory that left his Liberals short of a majority.
Trudeau said he would consult leaders of the Canada’s other parties on their priorities and how they might work together.
“They will be varied conversations, but I can tell you it is not in our plans at all to form any sort of formal or informal coalition,” Trudeau said.
The Conservatives won 121 seats but beat the Liberals in the popular vote, taking 34.4 per cent to their 33.1 per cent.
Trudeau’s new Cabinet will be sworn in on November 20.
On election night, Trudeau delivered his victory speech in Montreal.
“You are sending our Liberal team back to work; back to Ottawa with a clear mandate,” Trudeau said. “We will make life more affordable. We will continue to fight climate change. We will get guns off our streets and we will keep investing in Canadians.”
Trudeau said he and his party “take this responsibility seriously and we will work hard for you, for your families and for your future”.
“In the years ahead, our team will work hard to build on the progress made by the Canadians who came before us,” Trudeau said. “We will champion Canada in all its diversity. We will give voice to the voiceless. And in every decision we make as your government, we will always put this country and its people first.”
In his concession speech, Conservative leader Andrew Scheer declared that “Conservatives have put Justin Trudeau on notice”.
“And Mr. Trudeau, when your government falls, Conservatives will be ready and we will win,” Scheer said.
Scheer recalled that in 2004, during the first election of then Conservative leader Stephen Harper, Conservatives erased the majority of then Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin.
From there, Harper “went on to lead a conservative government that lasted for nearly 10 years”.
Scheer said that although the challenges are indeed big, he remains hopeful.
“Because Canada was built on Conservative values, ladies and gentlemen, and Conservative values will be what get us back on track,” he said.
Scheer said that “Canadians will need us to replace the Trudeau Liberals with a Conservative government that unites the country, celebrates our freedoms, honour its commitments and serves to help every Canadian get ahead”.
The Bloc Quebecois had a resurgence in the election, winning 32 seats in Quebec.
The NDP won 24 seats. On election night, New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh said his caucus will play a “constructive” role in parliament.
The Greens led by Elizabeth May won an additional seat, and Greens will not have three representatives in the House of Commons.
Former Liberal and now independent MP Jody Wilson-Raybould got re-elected in Vancouver Granville.
