Canada�s Liberals storm to landslide election win

AFP, OTTAWA: Canada's Liberals won a landslide general election victory Monday, with young leader Justin Trudeau ending a decade of Conservative rule with pledges to raise taxes on the rich in a struggling economy.
For many Canadians the vote was a referendum on outgoing premier Stephen Harper's management style, criticized as autocratic, and on who was better placed to put a sputtering economy back on track.
Besides raising taxes on the richest Canadians, Trudeau, the youthful and good-looking son of the late and beloved ex-premier Pierre Trudeau, has said he will lower them for the middle class.
Canada's economy contracted in the first half of this year. The country is the world's fifth largest oil producer and has suffered dearly from a big drop in prices for crude.
Trudeau has also pledged to take in thousands of refugees from Syria and battle climate change.
The 43-year-old -- who ran a combative campaign and offered up what he called a "new vision" for the nation -- would be able to form a majority government with 184 of the 338 seats in the House of Commons, according to still incomplete figures from Elections Canada. Turnout was 68 percent, compared to 61 percent in the last election four years ago.
Public opinion had swung wildly during the hard-fought campaign, which at 11 weeks was one of the longest in Canada's history.
The Liberals came from behind late in the campaign, with Trudeau promising "not just a change in government, but a better government." "Tonight Canada is becoming the country it was before," Trudeau said in his victory address. "Canadians from across this great country sent a clear message tonight -- it's time for a change in this country, a real change," he said.
Trudeau was elected Liberal leader only two years ago, after two
past leaders failed to unseat Harper in 2008 and 2011 and subsequently resigned.

 

Canada�s Liberals storm to landslide election win

AFP, OTTAWA: Canadas Liberals won a landslide general election victory Monday, with young leader Justin Trudeau ending a decade of Conservative rule with pledges to raise taxes on the rich in a struggling economy. For many Canadians the vote was a referendum on outgoing premier Stephen Harpers management style, criticized as autocratic, and on who was better placed to put a sputtering economy back on track. Besides raising taxes on the richest Canadians, Trudeau, the youthful and good-looking son of the late and beloved ex-premier Pierre Trudeau, has said he will lower them for the middle class. Canadas economy contracted in the first half of this year. The country is the worlds fifth largest oil producer and has suffered dearly from a big drop in prices for crude. Trudeau has also pledged to take in thousands of refugees from Syria and battle climate change. The 43-year-old -- who ran a combative campaign and offered up what he called a new vision for the nation -- would be able to form a majority government with 184 of the 338 seats in the House of Commons, according to still incomplete figures from Elections Canada. Turnout was 68 percent, compared to 61 percent in the last election four years ago. Public opinion had swung wildly during the hard-fought campaign, which at 11 weeks was one of the longest in Canadas history. The Liberals came from behind late in the campaign, with Trudeau promising not just a change in government, but a better government. Tonight Canada is becoming the country it was before, Trudeau said in his victory address. Canadians from across this great country sent a clear message tonight -- its time for a change in this country, a real change, he said. Trudeau was elected Liberal leader only two years ago, after two past leaders failed to unseat Harper in 2008 and 2011 and subsequently resigned.