Trudeau’s election bet fails, but Tory rival might lose job

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau won his third straight election but failed to get the majority in Parliament he wanted, an outcome that threatened his Conservative rival with loss of his job after moving his party to the center and alienating its base.

Trudeau bet Canadians didn’t want a Conservative government during a pandemic and voiced the concerns of Canadians who are increasingly upset with those who refuse to get vaccinated.

That helped propel Trudeau to victory in the election Monday, and while the gamble to win a majority of Parliament seats didn’t pay off, Trudeau now leads a strong minority government that won’t be toppled by the opposition any time soon.

The results nearly mirrored those of two years ago. The Liberal Party secured or was leading in158 seats — one more than it won in 2019, and 12 short of the 170 needed for a majority in the House of Commons.

The Conservatives were leading or elected in 119 seats, two less than in 2019. The leftist New Democrats were leading or elected in 25, while the Bloc Qubcois were poised to win 34 and the Greens were down to two.