Justin Trudeau claims victory in Canada election

(FASTNEWS |  CANADA) – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party will form Canada’s next government following a tightly contested general election against conservative rival Erin O’Toole.

Trudeau, however, fell short of his target of winning the necessary 170 seats to form a majority government.

Elections Canada showed the Liberals winning 157 seats compared to the Conservatives’ 122 seats, with nearly 95% of polls across the country reporting.

The remaining seats in the next Parliament will be held by the left-leaning New Democratic Party and the Quebec-based separatist party Bloc Quebecois.

Trudeau called the snap election in mid-August, barely two years into his minority government, betting he could capitalize on his handling of the pandemic to win a majority.