Conservatives Win Toronto-St. Paul's Byelection by 8.5 Points, Dealing Blow to Trudeau

Jun 25, 2024, 08:36 AM

In a significant political shift, the Conservative Party has won the Toronto-St. Paul's byelection, a seat held by the Liberal Party for over 30 years. The victory is seen as a substantial blow to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his party, which has faced mounting criticism and declining approval ratings. Conservative candidate Don Stewart emerged victorious, defeating Liberal candidate Leslie Church by a margin of 8.5 points. The Conservative Party garnered a record 37% of the vote in downtown Toronto. The byelection, held on June 24, 2024, was widely viewed as a referendum on Trudeau's leadership. The loss has intensified calls for Trudeau to resign, though Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has stated that he will remain in his position. The election saw a high turnout of 44%, indicating a strong desire among voters for change. The delayed results were attributed to the unusually long ballot, which included 84 candidates. This upset in a traditionally safe Liberal seat suggests potential vulnerabilities for the party in future elections. Freeland's comments describing Conservative voters as "cold, cruel, and small" also drew significant attention during the campaign.