Canadians will have to wait until late Tuesday to find out if Mark Carney’s Liberals have secured a majority or minority status from voters.
In the early hours of Tuesday, Elections Canada opted to halt the lengthy counting of special ballots as several ridings remained too close to decide.
The Liberals were leading or had won 168 seats when counting was paused, just four seats away from a majority. Elections Canada indicated that the uncounted votes might influence the outcomes in around twelve ridings.
If they secure a majority, the Liberals could enact laws without needing help from other parties. Conversely, a minority outcome would require the Liberals to rely on support to maintain power.
Special ballots are those cast by voters who cannot be present in their ridings during the elections and can be submitted by mail or at Elections Canada locations.
Counting is scheduled to resume at 9:30 a.m. ET
One of the undecided seats belonged to Pierre Poilievre; the Conservative leader was behind his Liberal opponent Bruce Fanjoy, who took to social media to announce his win.
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“To all the people of Carleton, as your new MP, I’m dedicated to uniting us,” Fanjoy shared. “We are all Canadians.”
During his acceptance speech, Carney promised to unite a divided nation amid ongoing tensions with the United States. He expressed his commitment to lead a government that embodies all Canadians and stated that unity drives the country forward.
“Let’s end the division and hostility of the past,” Carney emphasized. “We are all Canadians, and my government will serve everyone.”
Poilievre announced after his speech that he would remain as Conservative leader, despite his party’s defeat. He quieted some displeased reactions from the audience when he congratulated Carney on his victory.
“There will be ample chance for us to debate and disagree. But tonight, we unite as Canadians,” Poilievre remarked.
“We must learn from today’s results to achieve a better outcome next time.”
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh lost his seat in the Vancouver area and announced he would resign as party leader once an interim replacement is chosen.
“We may face defeats, and they sting,” Singh expressed emotionally beside his wife on stage in Burnaby, B.C.
“Defeat only occurs when we let others convince us that a better, fairer, and more compassionate Canada is impossible.”
At least a dozen NDP MPs have lost their seats, and early findings indicate that it may be tough for the party to maintain its official status, which grants access to research funding and more questioning opportunities during sessions.
With the election now concluded, Carney is likely to hold discussions soon with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Carney had his initial phone conversation with Trump during the first week of the election, and they agreed to immediately discuss a new trade and security agreement post-election.
Trump’s influence was notable throughout the campaign with his threats of tariffs and suggestions for Canada to become part of the U.S.
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