(The video above is a recap of the highlights of this election campaign, which officially began on August 2 and ends with voting today – October 19, 2015. Video: The Canadian Press)
"This is what positive politics can do." - Canada's new PM @JustinTrudeau #elxn42
— Jeff Nagel (@jeffnagel) October 20, 2015
Trudeau: "Conservatives are not our enemies, they're our neighbours" Photos/Recap: https://t.co/I1ecmqYULA pic.twitter.com/je07PfeG3P
— Black Press BC (@BlackPressMedia) October 20, 2015
Updates from election night across Canada, via Twitter:
The Canadian Press's interactive map shows the results and a wave of red in Toronto, Canada's largest city:
The Liberals paint Toronto red as Joe Oliver and Julian Fantino see defeat https://t.co/fhB0QUd9jW #Elxn42 #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/MEH7FGm3r2
— CP Ottawa (@CdnPress_Ott) October 20, 2015
With a Liberal majority all but confirmed by the election's conclusion, the Canadian Press reports that outgoing Prime Minister Stephen Harper will resign from his post as leader of the federal Conservatives:
CP ALERT: Stephen Harper to resign as leader, will continue as MP. Caucus will select interim leader. Leadership committee to be struck.
— Jennifer Ditchburn (@jenditchburn) October 20, 2015
BREAKING: Canadian Press projects federal Liberal majority government https://t.co/ggG9Uoctj3 #elxn42 #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/sEnwFvYqH2
— CP Ottawa (@CdnPress_Ott) October 20, 2015
The Green Party watches Justin Trudeau's victory speech (photo via Randene Neill, Global):
The #GPC HQ watching @JustinTrudeau's acceptance speech. #elxn42 #Historic pic.twitter.com/ofUKJ6DKZn
— Randene Neill (@rneillglobal) October 20, 2015
Above a sea of cameras, incoming Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to his supporters in Montreal (photo via Sean Leathong, CHCH in Hamilton):
Prime Minister elect @JustinTrudeau giving his acceptance speech. #Elxn42 @CHCHNews pic.twitter.com/TyFa4aV64n
— Sean Leathong (@SeanLCHCH) October 20, 2015
Live now: @JustinTrudeau speaks. Watch: https://t.co/J2Xrf0YuUl #Elxn42 pic.twitter.com/QY2p2xJzsA
— Maclean's Magazine (@MacleansMag) October 20, 2015
Liberal supporters wait for incoming Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take the stage, victorious (via Sean Leathong, CHCH in Hamilton):
Majority gov't and the party is waiting for @JustinTrudeau to join them. #elexn42 @CHCHNews pic.twitter.com/sFLJ8paYOd
— Sean Leathong (@SeanLCHCH) October 20, 2015
At its height, the Canadian federal election was out-trending Major League Baseball and the Toronto Blue Jays (who won 11-8, by the way) on Google:
For the first time ever "Elections Canada" out trends Major League Baseball #elxn42 pic.twitter.com/Lxgss3Bkq5
— Ian Shelton (@ianshelton) October 20, 2015
Justin Trudeau celebrates with his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, after he and his Liberals are declared the winners of this federal election:
Justin Trudeau is set to be Canada's next PM. Here he is celebrating with his wife https://t.co/EZQYqJTtpR #elxn42 pic.twitter.com/I9qtePVfuK
— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) October 20, 2015
It appears Abbotsford Conservative MP Ed Fast will re-win his riding in the Fraser Valley, reports the Abbotsford News's Tyler Olsen:
Big cheer from 40 or so gathered at @HonEdFast HQ as TV shows him well ahead.
— Tyler Olsen (@ty_olsen) October 20, 2015
Reporting from South Surrey-White Rock, the Surrey Leader's Boaz Joseph snaps a photo of MP candidate Judy Higginbotham, and her reaction to Justin Trudeau being declared Prime Minister:
No complaints from Liberal Judy Higginbotham. pic.twitter.com/IeYAln2O3I
— Boaz Joseph (@FStoppedUp) October 20, 2015
Con @DianneLWatts ahead in South Surrey-White Rock with 1 poll reporting. Don't break out the confetti yet. #elxn42
— Jeff Nagel (@jeffnagel) October 20, 2015
The Surrey Now newspaper quotes Liberal candidate Randeep Sarai, who's running in Surrey Centre:
Surrey Centre Lib candidate Randeep Sarai: "Canadians, especially younger Canadians are voting. That bodes well for our democracy" #elxn42
— The Now Newspaper (@TheNowNewspaper) October 20, 2015
The scene from Liberal headquarters, via the Globe and Mail:
#BREAKING: Trudeau Liberals to form new majority government https://t.co/jI3tz1tB1O #elxn42 pic.twitter.com/dSh5RCZnPs
— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) October 20, 2015
Okanagan reporter Megan Turcato films from the Liberal office in Vernon, B.C.:
Cheer goes up in #VernonBC Liberal office as it appears Liberals headed for a majority. #elxn42 pic.twitter.com/eIBvEGp0r4
— Megan Turcato (@meganturcato) October 20, 2015
Global News interviews former Liberal leader Bob Rae, after projecting Trudeau as Canada's next Prime Minister:
Federal Election 2015: Bob Rae gives advice to Trudeau as polls project a Liberal government #elxn42 https://t.co/W531n4hNkE
— Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) October 20, 2015
Hamilton-based TV reporter Sean Leathong reports from Liberal headquarters, which started "filling up" after Justin Trudeau was declared the winner, before 10 p.m. Eastern time:
#Liberal party HQ is filling up now that @JustinTrudeau has been declared the winner. @CHCHNews #elexn42 pic.twitter.com/WYIp9qIPtf
— Sean Leathong (@SeanLCHCH) October 20, 2015
Just after 6:40 p.m. (PST) on Monday night, before voting had even closed in British Columbia, Global News projected a Liberal government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau:
#BREAKING Global News projects a Liberal government #elxn42 https://t.co/Y9AevHJu6C pic.twitter.com/WFGn59QLux
— Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) October 20, 2015
BREAKING: Global News projects a Liberal government #elxn42 #cdnpoli https://t.co/SlycC8QFzu
— Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) October 20, 2015
Photo via Olivia Bowden, showing Conservative supporters faced with federal defeat:
Crowd fairly quiet as they watch CBC coverage of results at @AbdulAbdi6's campaign. #elxn42 pic.twitter.com/sqCEuCX4EQ
— Olivia Bowden (@OliviaBowden__) October 20, 2015
Photo via Global Okanagan reporter Kimberly Davidson, from Karley Scott's election night headquarters in her riding of West Kelowna:
Cheers erupting as #Liberal Karley Scott walks into her HQ announcing "We have a new PM!" #WestKelowna #elxn42 pic.twitter.com/UX85ZFqqtU
— Kimberly Davidson (@Kimberly_Global) October 20, 2015
Glued to the tv at Liberal candidate Karley Scott's HQ in #WestKelowna #elxn42 pic.twitter.com/G5gpLn6yg7
— Kimberly Davidson (@Kimberly_Global) October 20, 2015
Globe and Mail editor Matt Frehner posted this interactive map, showing the difference between election results in 2011 and the early results from 2015, in Atlantic Canada:
Then and now. https://t.co/3rNY4i7198 #elxn42 pic.twitter.com/1teJho6nN9
— Matt Frehner (@mattfrehner) October 20, 2015
CBC host Harry Forestell watches the election with students at St. Thomas University, in Fredericton:
Watching @CBCTheNational election returns with @StThomasU students. #pollwatch #elxn42 pic.twitter.com/gICkcC0G5e
— Harry Forestell (@HarryForestell) October 19, 2015
Global tracks social media activity – specifically in comparison with tonight's Toronto Blue Jays game – during the election:
Federal Election 2015: Tracking the #elxn42's social media reach https://t.co/RbnOppdNxx
— Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) October 20, 2015
Some updates from the federal candidates for Prime Minister, and their parties, via Twitter:
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau voted with his family – with wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau in the background – in Papineau:
We voted as a family this morning in Papineau. Get out there and make your voice heard! #realchange #elxn42 pic.twitter.com/W1VcfE9iTI
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 19, 2015
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and his wife Laureen, vote in the incumbent's riding of Calgary Southwest on Monday:
Conservative leader Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen vote in Calgary on Monday, Oct. 19… http://t.co/dLthiNYz5N pic.twitter.com/3oWPzxfH4Z
— TorontoStar (@TorontoStar) October 19, 2015
NDP leader Tom Mulcair, in his riding of Outremont (Quebec) on Monday morning:
Visiting an #NDP Zone House in Outremont. Thank you to all our Election Day volunteers. #IVotedNDP #elxn42 pic.twitter.com/BJDH0CM3gt
— Tom Mulcair (@ThomasMulcair) October 19, 2015
A crowd of NDP supporters in Oshawa (Ontario) on election day:
Good morning Oshawa. Make your vote count in #elxn42. The only way to #StopHarper is a vote for @MFowlerOshawa pic.twitter.com/NndWQMenoY
— Oshawa Federal NDP (@OshawaNDP) October 19, 2015
Trudeau finishes his weekend campaigning in North Vancouver...
Great night in North Vancouver - my grandfather Jimmy Sinclair's old riding! Liberals here are ready for #RealChange pic.twitter.com/poQJg50BeW
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 19, 2015
... and in Surrey:
Amazing enthusiasm in Surrey tonight! Tomorrow is another day to work hard and get out the vote. Keep it up. #elxn42 pic.twitter.com/ed6MW2UO4O
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 19, 2015
Mulcair takes the stage in Montreal, in front of "2,500" supporters, on Sunday:
2500 plus supporters at a full house in #Montreal at the #Rally4Change ready to welcome @ThomasMulcair to the stage. pic.twitter.com/PhKRY27jwL
— NDP_HQ (@NDP_HQ) October 18, 2015
Story originally posted at 8 a.m. on Monday morning:
Doors opened this morning in B.C., our province's polling stations joining the over-66,000 total across the country on Monday, October 19 – the final day of the 2015 federal election.
Voting opened at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. That means voting in Canada's western-most province closes a half-hour after booths close in Ontario.
(Go to Elections Canada's website for answers to any Frequently Asked Questions about today's election, including information about your riding and where you must go to vote, based on your postal code.)
What's happening out there?
Here are the headlines from around the province and around the country, with news and updates from Black Press's papers across B.C., and other reporters/outlets across Canada:
Here are some bulletins from Elections Canada's official Twitter account:
Not sure where your polling place is for today's election? Check here http://t.co/pbFMYFZpQC #fe42
— Elections Canada (@ElectionsCan_E) October 19, 2015
There are many forms of #Aboriginal ID accepted at the polls. Find the full list: http://t.co/yqNvXbGkNf #IndigPoli
— Elections Canada (@ElectionsCan_E) October 19, 2015
Elections officers at your polling place are there to help. If you have any concerns, talk to them.
— Elections Canada (@ElectionsCan_E) October 19, 2015
Want to take a voting selfie? Great! Take it outside the polling place. http://t.co/wuiu4i8Hme #elxn42
— Elections Canada (@ElectionsCan_E) October 19, 2015
Other notes and complaints from voters across Canada, about personal hassle they've faced – or are reporting – on election day:
The new Canada Fair Elections act has forced me -- a fully registered voter -- to walk home twice to produce sufficient ID to vote
— Doug Saunders (@DougSaunders) October 19, 2015
Our producer Katie's proof of address lacked her middle initial. Poll-worker sent her home. #elxn42 cc @CBCLarsen #PollWatch
— Jesse Brown (@JesseBrown) October 19, 2015
No time today? Workers have the right to 3 hours off to vote (with limits) http://t.co/V6m9WGaON3 #elxn42 #pollwatch pic.twitter.com/LQP8yg8Qme
— CBC News (@CBCNews) October 19, 2015
Voting today? Share a photo! #PollWatch pic.twitter.com/2zIeokH8va
— CBC Vancouver (@CBCVancouver) October 19, 2015
Lineup out the door already. Something tells me this poll will be busy as only one in Iqaluit #NorthVotes #PollWatch pic.twitter.com/z20daAm28S
— Nick Murray (@NickMurray91) October 19, 2015
Meanwhile in MTL…trouble at the polls for our art director. Follow his timeline for a fuller explanation. #PollWatch https://t.co/R6FLy5hy5x
— The Walrus (@walrusmagazine) October 19, 2015
NOTE: Use the hashtag #pollwatch on Twitter to report or post your own experiences with voting today.
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A review of the preview
When the ballots are counted and the results are released, that will end the longest election campaign in modern Canadian history. And the leaders of the country's three contending federal parties – Justin Trudeau with the Liberals, Tom Mulcair with the NDP, and defending champ Stephen Harper with the Conservatives – all have a legitimate chance to lead a minority government, perhaps a majority for Harper and Trudeau (as pre-election polling indicates), and to almost evenly divide Canada's 338 seats and districts among them.
A final Ipsos Reid poll, released over the weekend, hints at a Liberal minority federally – with several ridings listed as too close to call, and with Trudeau's party winning 38 per cent of the vote and 140 seats to the Conservatives' 115 seats. The NDP, in the poll, has been predicted to win 79 seats.
"It looks like the Liberals are going to win," said Ipsos CEO Darrell Bricker, in and interview with Global News last weekend. "We're going to have a Trudeau at 24 Sussex again; the question is how big will they win? ... Right now it probably looks like a minority but it's all going to come down to turnout and actually getting those votes in the ballot box for the Liberals."