Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals are shocked by Conservative Don Stewart’s victory in Toronto-St. Paul after 30 years

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party suffered a resounding defeat in a by-election in his longtime riding of Toronto-St. Tuesday, stronghold of Paul’s riding, CBC News reported.

Conservative Don Stewart’s triumph is surprising since the Liberals have held this seat for more than thirty years, even during difficult times like the 2011 federal election, which saw only 34 Liberal MPs elected to Parliament.

Before Monday’s vote, no Conservative candidate had been competitive in Toronto-St. Paul since the 1980s.

In a hotly contested election, Conservative candidate Don Stewart, a consultant, emerged victorious with about 42 percent of the vote, narrowly defeating Liberal candidate Leslie Church, a former Parliament Hill staffer and lawyer, who garnered nearly 40 percent of the vote.

The Liberal Party’s weak showing in such a stronghold could lead to soul-searching for Trudeau, who has seen his popularity decline amid inflation, rising costs of living, high real estate prices and rising immigration levels that have fueled voter discontent, CBC News reported.

This Conservative victory will likely raise concerns within the Liberal caucus, as such a significant vote shift could put other seemingly “safe” seats at risk in the next general election.

Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett beat her Conservative opponent by a wide margin in 2021, but Church lost this time by about 2% of the vote. If this voting pattern is repeated in other ridings, many Liberal MPs could be defeated in the next election.

About 55 Liberal MPs won their Ontario ridings by a narrower margin than Bennett’s result in Toronto-St Paul’s in the last general election, according to a CBC News analysis of previous election data.

Bennett, a respected figure within the party with a strong local following, resigned last year after 26 years in parliament to become Canada’s ambassador to Denmark.

Justin Trudeau responded to the surprising results, acknowledging that he was hearing people’s “concerns and frustrations.” The Canadian prime minister said he and his team have a lot of work to do.

“This was obviously not the outcome we wanted, but I want to be clear that I hear your concerns and your frustrations,” Trudeau said in a press release. He did not respond to journalists’ questions.

“These are not easy times. And it’s clear that I and my entire team still have a lot of work to do to make real, tangible progress that Canadians can see and feel,” he added.

Trudeau’s main competitor, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, reacted to the results by urging Prime Minister Trudeau to call a snap election.

“Here’s the verdict: Trudeau can’t continue like this,” Poilievre posted on X. “He needs to call an election for a carbon tax now.”

With voters’ concerns growing, Trudeau’s approval ratings fell to a record low of 30 percent, just a year before the election. Several reports even suggest that Trudeau’s Liberal Party could suffer a significant defeat against the Conservatives in the next election.

General elections in Canada are expected to take place next year.

Despite falling ratings, Trudeau has pledged to lead the Liberal Party into next year’s election.

(With contributions from ANI)