Canada`s Liberals sweep to power

Canada`s Liberal Party has decisively won parliamentary elections, ending nine years of Conservative rule, partial results show, reports BBC.

The Liberals, led by Justin Trudeau, are leading in 185 electoral districts.

The son of late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau is now poised to form a majority government, Canada`s CBC and CTV networks predict.

Incumbent Conservative PM Stephen Harper - whose party is leading in 103 districts - accepted defeat.

Speaking after the polls closed, he said he had already congratulated Mr Trudeau, saying the Conservatives would accept the results "without hesitation".

His party said Mr Harper would resign as leader of the Conservatives.

Addressing his jubilant supporters shortly afterwards, Mr Trudeau said that Canadians "sent a clear message tonight - it`s time for a change".

"We beat fear with hope, we beat cynicism with hard work. Most of all we defeated the idea that Canadians should be satisfied with less.

"This is what positive politics can do," he said, also praising Mr Harper for his service to the country.
Meanwhile, the left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) is on course to win 41 seats, less than half the number they held in the outgoing parliament.

"I congratulated Mr Trudeau on his exceptional achievement," said NDP leader Tom Mulcair.

To form a majority government, a party needs 170 seats in the 338-member parliament.

Sea of change

Voting hours were staggered across the country and polls opened in Newfoundland at 08:30 local time (11:00 GMT). Polls closed in the west of the country at 19:00 (02:00 GMT).

It was one of the longest and possibly closest election campaigns in Canada`s history, with leaders criss-crossing the country to try to sway undecided voters.

Early counts in the eastern provinces gave the Liberals their first taste of victory, as they led in all 32 races there.

As the results began pouring in, former Conservative Justice Minister Peter MacKay said: "A sea of change here. We are used to high tides in Atlantic Canada. This is not what we hoped for."

The Conservatives are now in danger of losing all 13 seats they held in Atlantic Canada in 2011.
In a remarkable turnaround, the Liberals - who held only 36 seats before the election - are now expected to form a majority cabinet.