Canadian Liberals Suffer Election Upset

Canada’s Liberals suffered a major upset in a Toronto special election on Monday, which many are saying could signal the demise of Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The Details: Opposition conservative candidate Don Stewart won the Toronto-St. Paul’s district with 42.1% of the vote over Liberal candidate Leslie Church’s 40.5%. The result marks the first time the Conservatives beat the Liberals in a Toronto city election since 2011.

For Context: Toronto-St. Paul’s is an affluent district seen as a stronghold for the Liberals, who have held the district since 1993. Trudeau and the Liberals have seen low approval ratings lately, with a recent poll suggesting that 68% of Canadians want the prime minister, who will be up for reelection in fall 2025, to step down. Issues plaguing Trudeau’s administration in recent years include a housing crisis, high inflation, and his unconstitutional use of The Emergency Powers Act to break up the Freedom Convoy, among others.

Key Quotes: Trudeau said, “These are not easy times. And it is clear, that I and my entire Liberal team, have much more hard work to do to deliver tangible, real progress that Canadians can see and feel.” On X, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called for a snap election and said, “Trudeau can’t go on like this.”

How The Media Covered It: Media across the spectrum expressed a dismal outlook for Trudeau and the Liberals. Michael Cuenco, writing for UnHerd (Center bias), said the election was “touted by commentators” as a “referendum” on Trudeau.