Trudeau's Liberals win Canada vote, will form minority govt

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party held onto power in a nail-biter of a Canadian general election on Monday, but as a weakened minority government.

Television projections as of 2 am Tuesday (0600 GMT) declared the Liberals winners or leading in 156 of the nation's 338 electoral districts, versus 122 for his main rival Andrew Scheer and the Conservatives, after polling stations across six time zones closed.

As early as Tuesday, Trudeau will have to form an alliance with one or more smaller parties in order to govern a fractured nation.

The first test of his future government will follow in the coming weeks with a speech to parliament outlining his legislative priorities and a confidence vote.

"From coast to coast to coast, tonight Canadians rejected division and negativity," Trudeau said. "And they rejected cuts and austerity and voted in favour of a progressive agenda and strong action on climate change."
He reassured Quebec that his Liberal government, despite an electoral setback in the French-speaking province, "will be there for you."
He also spoke directly to a growing sense of Western Canada's alienation within the federation, telling those in Saskatchewan and Alberta provinces: "I've heard your frustration."
Trudeau evoked the bogeymen of past and current Tory parties fostering "politics of fear and division" while Scheer called the prime minister a "compulsive liar," "a phony and a fraud."
In his concession speech, Scheer said, "Canadians have passed judgement on (Trudeau's) Liberal government," noting that the Liberals shed more than 20 seats as well as "support in every region of the country."
"Canada is a country that is further divided," he said, warning that its oil sector, the fourth largest in the world but struggling with low prices and a lack of pipeline capacity, is "under attack."
"We have put him on notice, his leadership is damaged and his government will end soon and when that time comes, the Conservatives will be ready and we will win!"