Son of late PM Pierre Trudeau becomes Canada's new leader

Canadian voters emphatically reclaimed their country's liberal identity, putting Justin Trudeau, the youthful son of one of the country's most dynamic politicians, in the prime minister's office, and ending 10 years of leadership by Stephen Harper, whose dream was to recast Canada as a more conservative country.

The victory in yesterday's election by Trudeau's Liberal Party was stunning. The Liberals were on a path to win at least 184 seats out of 338 - a parliamentary majority that will allow Trudeau to govern without relying on other parties.

Harper's Conservatives were winning 100. The Liberals received 39.5 per cent of the overall vote compared to 32 percent for the Conservatives and 19.6 for the New Democrats.

Harper, one of the longest-serving Western leaders, will step down as Conservative leader, the party announced as the scope of its loss became apparent.

Trudeau's victory could result in improved ties with the United States, at least for the remainder of Barack Obama's presidency.

Harper was frustrated by Obama's reluctance to approve the Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta to Texas and clashed with the president on other issues, including the Iran nuclear deal. Although Trudeau supports the Keystone pipeline, he argues relations should not hinge on the project.

Trudeau is the son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, who swept to office in 1968 on a wave of support dubbed "Trudeaumania."

He was prime minister until 1984 with a short interruption and remains one of the few Canadian politicians known in America, his charisma often drawing comparisons to John F. Kennedy.

Trudeau channels the star power if not quite the political heft of his father. Tall and trim, he is a former school teacher and member of Parliament since 2008. At 43, he becomes the second youngest prime minister in Canadian history and has been likened to Obama.

"Tonight Canada is becoming the country it was before," Trudeau told a victory rally in Montreal.

Trudeau has re-energized the Liberal Party since its worst electoral defeat four years ago when they won just 34 seats and finished third behind the traditionally weaker New Democrat Party. Trudeau promises to raise taxes on the rich and run deficits for three years to boost government spending.

He said positive politics led to his victory.

"We beat fear with hope," Trudeau said. "We beat cynicism with hard work. We beat negative, divisive politics with a positive vision that brings Canadians together. Most of all we defeated the idea that Canadians should be satisfied with less."

Harper, one of the longest-serving Western leaders, stepped down as the head of the Conservatives, the party said in a statement issued as the scope of the loss became apparent.