Trudeau's Snap Election Reaps Little Reward

Justin Trudeau's snap election gamble has failed to pay off as Canada's Liberal Party only gained one seat compared to its 2019 result which left them running a minority government.

As this infographic shows, Trudeau gained one seat (after 98 percent of the votes counted) on 2019, while the main opposition party, the Conservatives, ended up losing two - a long way from the prime minister's seemingly very optimistic goal of regaining the majority he enjoyed in his first term from 2015 to 2019.

Despite the underwhelming victory, Trudeau claims the result represents "a clear mandate" to continue leading the Canada through the pandemic. Acknowledging the unpopularity of calling an early election during a pandemic, the prime minister said: “I hear you when you say you want to get back to the things you love, not to worry about the pandemic or the election,” adding: “You have given this government and this parliament clear direction.”