Stunning Liberal gains in Quebec as Trudeau wins majority government

The Liberal Party has made gains in Quebec not seen since the Jean Chrtien era, as a red wave carries leader Justin Trudeau to Ottawa with a big majority.

By early Tuesday morning,the party hadbeen declared the winner in 40Quebec ridings.

In his victoryspeechatMontreal's Queen Elizabeth hotel, Trudeauaddressed Quebecers directly, saying they had made the decisionto re-engage with Canada.

"We have chosen to trust one another and to invest in our future,"Trudeau told the crowd in French.

"We beat negative politics with a positive vision that brings Canadians together."

Soon after the polls closed,Trudeau was declared the winner in his own seat,thenorthend Montrealriding ofPapineau.

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The Liberals have wonback seats fromthe NDP in severalMontrealridings that have traditionally voted red,including two West Island ridingsandHonor-Mercierin the northeast.

Tonight's results represent a stunning gain in Quebecfor theLiberals,whotook just seven seats in the province in 2011.

It appears the party has finally overcome the voters' backlash fromthesponsorship scandal,which has haunted the party in Quebec since itsurfaced ahead of the 2006 federal election campaign.The party dropped from 21 to13 seats in that election and hasn't had more than 14 since.

The last time the Liberalshad more than 30 seats in Quebec was in 2000, when the party won 36underJean Chrtien.

The Liberalsweren't the only ones with a surprising night in Quebec.

While NDP Leader TomMulcairwas able to hold on to his own seatin the Montreal riding of Outremont,the NDP was only elected won a total of16 seats.

The result isa major disappointment for the party after2011, whenthe party won59 seats andnearly obliteratedthe BlocQubcois.

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The NDP came into the 78-daycampaign poised for anotherstrong showing in the province, with polls suggestingMulcair's party well in thelead.

But thetide turned against the NDP in Quebec in the last half of the campaign,when both the Bloc and Conservatives played up theniqabissue in the days leading up to thefirst of the two televisedFrench-language debates on Sept. 24.

Mulcair's pledge to balance the budget may also not have helped the NDP campaignin a province where electors are already feelingconstrained by provincial cost-cutting measures.

Conservatives double seat count

Despite major losses nationally, the Conservatives were able to make some inroads in Quebec, with Grard Deltell winning the Quebec City riding of Louis-St-Laurent.

Deltell, a former broadcaster,left the CoalitionAvenirQubecto run for the federal seat.

The party finished the night with 12 seatsup from a total of five in the last election.

The Conservatives had also made a push to gain a presence in Montreal, with Stephen Harper opening his campaign in the traditional Liberal stronghold ofMount Royal, which has long been covetedby hisparty.

But they were unable to win the riding, with Anthony Housefather taking the seat for the Liberals.

Bloc falls short

BlocQubcoischiefGillesDuceppewas unable to win backhis own riding inLaurierSainte-Marie, which was heldby NDP incumbentHlneLaverdire.

Duceppe, who came out of retirement just weeks before the write was dropped on Aug. 2 to take over from a beleagueredMarioBeaulieu,washoping to help the party get back officialstatus.

To do that, the Bloc had to win 12 seats.They won ten.

Because of population growth, riding maps were redrawn, andQuebec has three new seats in this election,for a total of 78.

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