Canada Back To Where It Started After COVID Election

Justin Trudeau just effectively proved you can win and lose an election at the same time, Stephen Collinson has stressed in an analysis for CNN.

Photo Insert: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau casts his vote.

The Canadian Prime Minister called Monday's snap parliamentary vote in the belief that voters would reward him with a majority after getting a handle on the pandemic. But while securing a third consecutive term, his Liberals appear to have fallen short of the goal.

Final results are still being counted, but the Prime Minister is projected to again lead a minority government in Ottawa. That means that after five weeks of debates, campaigning, and recriminations, Canada is pretty much back where it started.

For the second straight election, Trudeau will also likely lose the popular vote to his Conservative rival -- hardly an endorsement of his leadership or Canada's political system.

The election exposed resentment over months of COVID-19 deprivations and revived a critique that Trudeau is an entitled opportunist. His disappointing showing may have further damaged the goodwill he needs to navigate the pandemic end-game and govern effectively and will spark fresh speculation about his long-term future.

But at the same time, there's no reason to think opposition parties that also failed to make a big impression want another election any time soon. While showing bravura in boasting about a "clear mandate" bestowed by the election, the Prime Minister obliquely seemed to admit he had misjudged the electorate.

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