Justin Trudeau’s party set to win most seats in Canadian election

The 49-year-old channeled the star power of his father, liberal icon and late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, when he first won the election in 2015 and now appears to have led his party to first place in the election. two elections since.

Mr. Trudeau bet Canadians did not want a Conservative government during a pandemic.

Canada is now one of the most vaccinated countries in the world and its government has spent hundreds of billions of dollars to support the economy amid the lockdowns.

Trudeau had argued that the Conservatives’ approach, which was skeptical of lockdowns and vaccination mandates, would be dangerous and said Canadians need a government that follows science.

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole did not demand that his party’s candidates be vaccinated and did not specify how many were unvaccinated.

Mr. O’Toole described vaccination as a personal health decision, but a growing number of strained Canadians are increasingly unhappy with those who refuse to be vaccinated.

Trudeau supports the requirement for Canadians to travel by plane or train, which the Conservatives oppose, with the outgoing president noting that Alberta, led by a Conservative provincial government, is in a health crisis.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, an ally of Mr. O’Toole, said the province could run out of beds and staff for intensive care units within days.

Mr Kenney has apologized for the dire situation and now reluctantly introduces a vaccination passport and imposes a mandatory work-from-home order two months after lifting nearly all restrictions.