Canada's new Liberal PM Trudeau wins broad mandate for change
Canada's Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau, who came from behind to trounce his Conservative rivals and snatch a majority mandate, now has to deliver on pledges from tackling climate change to boosting the economy and legalizing marijuana.
Trudeau, who campaigned on a promise of change, toppled Stephen Harper's Conservatives on October 19, giving him the freedom to start implementing his campaign pledges largely unimpeded.
He struck a chord with Canadians weary of nine years of Conservative rule. Harper resigned as party leader after the defeat.
The 43-year-old son of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau swept to victory with 39.5% of the popular vote in an election that saw the highest voter turnout since 1993.
The Liberal leader will have to quickly start delivering on his promises to change policy, beginning with a UN climate change summit in Paris in December.
Trudeau plans to double spending on infrastructure to jump-start anemic growth. In addition, his Liberals plan to begin working on legalizing marijuana "right away," Trudeau said during the campaign. He has said marijuana laws could be changed in the first two years of his government.
The win marked a turn in political fortunes that smashed the record for the number of seats gained from one election to the next. The center-left Liberals had been a distant third-place party before the vote.