Justin Trudeau faces setback as Liberals lose bypolls in stronghold

Justin Trudeau faces a significant setback as the Liberal Party loses a crucial by-election in its long-held stronghold of Toronto-St. Paul. Conservative candidate Don Stewart secured victory with approximately 42% of the vote, narrowly defeating Leslie Church, a former Parliament Hill staffer and lawyer, who garnered about 40%.

The Toronto-St. Paul seat had been held by the Liberals for over three decades, despite electoral challenges in the past, such as the 2011 federal election where they returned only 34 MPs. In the 2021 election, the Liberals had won Toronto-St. Paul by a substantial margin of 49% to 22%.

Currently, the Liberals hold 155 out of 338 seats in the House of Commons.

This defeat is seen as a significant blow to Trudeau’s leadership and his government, coming just ahead of the expected national election next year. Despite the loss, Trudeau expressed determination to lead the party into the upcoming elections and address voter concerns.

“This was clearly not the outcome we hoped for. I acknowledge your concerns and frustrations,” Trudeau stated in a Bloomberg interview. “These are challenging times, and my team and I have much work ahead to deliver tangible progress that Canadians can see and feel.”

Trudeau’s approval ratings have recently plummeted to a record low of 30%, according to ANI.

Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievr swiftly responded to the results, urging Trudeau to call for an early election. “Trudeau cannot continue like this,” he tweeted on X (formerly known as Twitter). “He must call an election focusing on the carbon tax now.”

During their campaign, the Conservatives heavily criticized the Liberals’ economic track record and also emphasized issues such as the Israel-Hamas conflict, accusing Trudeau of being overly lenient in his stance on Israel. This strategy aimed to sway support from the district’s Jewish community, comprising approximately 11% of the electorate.