Trudeau suffers blow as Liberals lose stronghold seat
Canada PM Justin Trudeau suffered a setback as the opposition Conservatives seized a long-time Liberal stronghold seat in Toronto in a federal by-election on Tuesday.
Don Stewart of the Conservatives defeated Liberal candidate Leslie Church by a margin of about 2% to capture the Toronto-St. Paul’s seat was held by Trudeau’s party for over 30 years.
The significant loss comes as a shock for the Liberals who had won the seat comfortably in the 2021 general election. With 155 out of 338 seats nationwide, Trudeau’s grip over Parliament has weakened.
Despite the outcome, Trudeau vowed to lead his party into the next general election slated for 2025 and address citizens’ concerns. However, his approval ratings have slumped to a new low of 30%.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called on Trudeau to immediate polls, terming the verdict a repudiation of the government’s economic stewardship.
The Opposition ran on dissatisfaction with inflation and the carbon tax. Wooing the Jewish vote too seemed to have aided the Conservatives in this ethnically diverse district.
The by-poll defeat underscores the challenges facing Trudeau’s leadership amid a challenging macroeconomic environment upending past electoral calculations.
