Canada tosses the Conservatives out.  Via the Toronto Star:

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

That title, which seemed improbable a mere 11 weeks ago, is now set to become a reality after the Liberals’ historic, come-from-behind election result, besting incumbent Conservatives and hopeful New Democrats in one of the country’s longest and costliest elections.

“Canadians from all across this great country sent a clear message tonight. It’s time for change in this country my friends, real change,” Trudeau said in Montreal.

“A positive, optimistic hopeful vision of public life isn’t a naive dream. It can be a powerful force for change.”

The election ushers in a new era for Canada as Trudeau was swept to power on a vow to change how Canadians were governed and a commitment to end what he branded as the Conservatives’ divisive style of politics.

Preliminary results had the Liberals at 185 seats, comfortably more than the 170 seats needed for a majority government in the expanded 338-seat House of Commons. It’s a stunning rebound for a party that had been knocked down to 34 seats in the 2011 election and left for dead.

The Conservatives won 101 seats, the New Democrats 41, the Bloc Québécois 10 and the Green Party had one seat, won by leader Elizabeth May.

The day was a humiliating loss for Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, who has served as prime minister since 2006, and a crushing night for NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair.

Harper, who had led his Conservatives to three successive victories, immediately signalled he would be stepping down as leader and instructed the Conservative party to appoint an interim leader and launch a process to select a new leader, according to a party statement.