Is the Stephen Harper era over? YES. Canada elects Justin Trudeau.

[Lowell]

Canada will have a strong Liberal majority government led by Justin Trudeau, son for Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

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Canadian National Elections on Monday Oct. 19, 2015. Surging Liberals in position to win?

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The contest for leadership of the USA unofficially begins with tonight's debate among a gaggle of ten Republican wannabees. But in another part of our international metropolis an election for leadership of the country across the river from Detroit has been called.

It also kicks off tonight with the Maclean's Leaders Debate where the top contender candidates [Stephen Harper [[Conservative and current PM), Tom Mulcair [[New Democratic Party or NDP), Justin Trudeau [[Liberal) and Elizabeth May [[Green)] square off in Toronto. Only the first three have a realistic chance of governing.

Fortunately for the Canadian public their election will be on October 19, 2015 while the American public will have to suffer through another year and two weeks of annoying ads and vitriol.

Harper has been fortunate to slide by twice with less than 40% of the vote against a divided left. Will he survive again with the Canadian economy and dollar languishing? Is current PM Stephen Harper's era over asks the Guardian.

With Harper's cuts to social programs and pro-business, pro-wealth record amid the declining economy does this finally open the door the the farthest left NDP who climbed to 95 seats and second place in the previous election?

Such a scenario might bode well for Windsor long an NDP stronghold holding 2 of the 4 metro Windsor ridings [West and Tecumseh] and capable of winning a third, Walkerville. This poll tracking shows NDP ascending but will its grizzled hockey-player-faced leader split too many votes with the Liberal's glamor boy Justin Trudeau, who inherited his good looks from his father and former PM Pierre Trudeau, and allow Harper to slide in again?

[gazhekwe]

Let's see who commits to sorting things out with First Nations. If Harper goes down, Idle No More will be substantially responsible.

[401don]

As a Canadian I can tell you that I'm most proud of the fact that our longest campaign ever will still only be 11 weeks [[that and the fact that Donald Trump is not Canadian).

[Lowell]

Big night coming up Monday. As the election approaches it appears that young Justin Trudeau, son of former PM Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and his Liberal Party may come out on top. Canada seems to be headed for another minority government just one not headed by Harper this time.

Liberals continue to surge and have strong momentum as election day nears, new poll finds

[gazhekwe]

Crossing my fingers.

[paulj313]

Former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford for PM??

[Wesley Mouch]

Big night coming up Monday. As the election approaches it appears that young Justin Trudeau, son of former PM Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and his Liberal Party may come out on top. Canada seems to be headed for another minority government just one not headed by Harper this time.

Liberals continue to surge and have strong momentum as election day nears, new poll finds

Coming from the National Post, a right-leaning paper, I believe this more than if it were from the Globe and Mail or the Star.

Liberals [[small 'l') are by nature optimistic. They often grab onto whatever poll shows that the public is becoming more enlightened and intelligent and is beginning to agree with them. Only time will tell of course.

I'd be careful about polls these days. The easiest way to poll is by landline. Pollsters seem to be addicted to it -- even long the pollsters stopped using their own phones at home.

[dtowncitylover]

I will be one of the few Americans tuned into CBC tomorrow evening.

While polls are polls, I do believe the Harper era is over. They call the Liberal Party the natural governing party and it appears they will re-take power. I do believe this is not the party of 2006 or 2004. NDP had a shot early in the campaign and while I would vote for them, it looks like Canadians are still apprehensive about giving them power. Liberals are the tried and true moderately left leaning party.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

As a Canadian I can tell you that I'm most proud of the fact that our longest campaign ever will still only be 11 weeks [[that and the fact that Donald Trump is not Canadian).

You do, however, have to claim Ted Cruz.

[Danny]

Come on Canadian Liberals WIN WIN WIN. Take back your nation from the conservatives. Social welfare for all. I wish the United States can be like Canada. They what they doing politically to preserve their nation. They are proud to be socialist.

[401don]

Come on Canadian Liberals WIN WIN WIN. Take back your nation from the conservatives. Social welfare for all. I wish the United States can be like Canada. They what they doing politically to preserve their nation. They are proud to be socialist.

Not sure why so many Americans [[not just Danny) refer to Canada as socialist. Is it because of free healthcare? Every country on earth except the U.S. has universal healthcare. Our corporate tax rate is far less than the U.S. causing even Burger King to move here. Maybe it's because we just let the gov't fix the roads without debating it for 10 years [[okay that one was a shot).

[Bham1982]

Not sure why so many Americans [[not just Danny) refer to Canada as socialist. Is it because of free healthcare? Every country on earth except the U.S. has universal healthcare. Our corporate tax rate is far less than the U.S. causing even Burger King to move here. Maybe it's because we just let the gov't fix the roads without debating it for 10 years [[okay that one was a shot).

The U.S. has federally mandated health care, so has, in practice, universal health care.

Not sure what lower corporate tax rates have to do with health care delivery. In any case Canada overall has higher tax rates than the U.S, though I doubt that has a thing to do with the relative differences in health care.

Canada isn't Socialist, but compared to the U.S. it's much more of a social welfare state, with collective, rather than individual, emphasis.

[Lowell]

Not sure why so many Americans [[not just Danny) refer to Canada as socialist. Is it because of free healthcare? Every country on earth except the U.S. has universal healthcare. Our corporate tax rate is far less than the U.S. causing even Burger King to move here. Maybe it's because we just let the gov't fix the roads without debating it for 10 years [[okay that one was a shot).

Take it as a compliment. It's because Canada's Conservatives are the equivalent of the US's centrist Democrats. They look out for the little somewhat but are capitalist deep down under.

[dtowncitylover]

Take it as a compliment. It's because Canada's Conservatives are the equivalent of the US's centrist Democrats. They look out for the little somewhat but are capitalist deep down under.

It's refreshing to hear political talk by Canada's political leaders and their riding candidates and rarely a word spoken about "taking their country back" or whether or not they accept Jesus Christ as their savior, as I did on NPR this morning on the GOP candidates.

[canuck]

It's refreshing to hear political talk by Canada's political leaders and their riding candidates and rarely a word spoken about "taking their country back" or whether or not they accept Jesus Christ as their savior, as I did on NPR this morning on the GOP candidates.

Trump especially creeps me out. I think his attitude is very much that of a dictator. I watched him do his bit to disparage the media in Massachussets the other night. He kept repeating "they're all lies" about what had been said about him. The point is he kept talking about himself, his campaign, and the mean or incompetent opponents in the race,nothing about policy; zilch.

I think Putin probably has that kind of varnish of sef confidence that defies criticism. Trump is as close as it gets to dictatorship in the USA. There has been speculation in the past about what an authoritarian regime would be like in the US, and his Mussolini-like pout is nothing to inspire... except vitriolic caricature à la Steadman.

[401don]

One thing we have in common is that out of 360 million people we can't find enough competent people willing to run without relying on the same families-Clinton, Bush, Trudeau. I mean what are the odds that out of that many citizens the most qualified would be those?

[dtowncitylover]

One thing we have in common is that out of 360 million people we can't find enough competent people willing to run without relying on the same families-Clinton, Bush, Trudeau. I mean what are the odds that out of that many citizens the most qualified would be those?

But I wouldn't put the Bushes and the Trudeaus in the same categories of political families. Pierre Trudeau compared to the Bush II was a statesman and a public intellectual, yet very charismatic. Bush I was dry and Bush II was a bit too down to earth. Someone I would love to have a beer with, but instead of talking about issues and how to solve them, we end up talking about the recent Cowboys game. I would take a second Trudeau over a another Bush any day.

And canuck, Trump represents the worst of American society. Yelling dimwitted words without much substance. "I will be great for women!" he yells. But never offers one policy! Just words.

[emu steve]

When will the results be known?

[Hypestyles]

In Canada,are there still media blackouts preventing exit polling leaks? Years ago in a media studies class with Jack Lessenberry, he asserted that this was a reason why Canadian national elections tend to have a fairness advantage over the USA’s, as exit polling allegedly preemptively picks winners early on based on Eastern Time Zone results, not taking into account polls that have yet to close in western Time Zone districts.

[dtowncitylover]

CBC's The National said the most recent Fair Elections Act made it legal for ballots to be counted before the polls ended, this being the first election in which it will be done. Newfoundland and Labrador polls close, I believe at 7:30 EST. Ontario and Quebec polls don't close until 9:30 EST. I've been reading that we should know before midnight.

[Onthe405]

It's refreshing to hear political talk by Canada's political leaders and their riding candidates and rarely a word spoken about "taking their country back" or whether or not they accept Jesus Christ as their savior, as I did on NPR this morning on the GOP candidates.

dtowncitylover, couldn't agree more. Stateside, we sure could use a heavy dose of "boring" political discourse like our Canadian friends. You know, where the national issues at hand are actually discussed & debated in a civil manner.

I thought this Doyle McManus editorial from a weeks ago was humorous--but also sadly true:

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed...30-column.html

Although, I must admit, [[politics & policies aside) I am quite smitten with the "public personality" aspect of Justin Trudeau. Akin to the JFK Jr of Canada: youthful, handsome, and talk about celebrity heritage! I mean c'mon: his father dated Barbra and his mother tripped the light fantastic on the dance floor with Halston, Calvin Klein, and Andy Warhol at Studio 54.

[Lowell]

Liberals rolling through Atlantic Canada. "Exceeding expectations" Andrew Coyne.

[dtowncitylover]

Liberals rolling through Atlantic Canada. "Exceeding expectations" Andrew Coyne.

Impressive. All 32 Atlantic ridings are in the lead or have been called for Liberals. The entire Liberal caucus in the HOC at the time of dissolution was 34. Wow.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Liberals rolling through Atlantic Canada. "Exceeding expectations" Andrew Coyne.

Indeed. Currently projected to win 21 of 32 ridings and ahead in all of the remaining 11!

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

CBC projects a Liberal government! Only about 10 or 11 minutes after the big poll closings