Voters go to polls in hardest fought and tightest Canadian election in years

Canadians are going to the polls today after one of the tightest and longest federal election campaigns in the country’s history. The ballot was called on 2 August, ushering in more than two and a half months of campaigning. Various gaffes have already led the ruling Conservatives to dump eight of their candidates, according to election website punditsguide.ca. The Liberals are led by Justin Trudeau, the son of the late prime minister Pierre Trudeau. At 43, Trudeau junior is considerably younger than his two main opponents - incumbent Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper is 56 and the NDP’s leader Tom Mulcair is 60.

Nobody knows better than I do what the pressures of party leadership can do to a young family.

Justin Trudeau, the son of the late prime minister Pierre Trudeau

Mr Trudeau’s party began the campaign in third place until a late surge. Surveys released on the eve of the ballot gave the Liberals a seven-point lead. Some of the main issues echo those in Britain: Trudeau is promising investment over austerity and believes Canada should stop its airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, focusing instead on training local forces on the ground. If Mr Harper wins, he will become the first Canadian prime minister since 1908 to triumph in four consecutive elections. His Conservative Party’s main attack advert focused on Mr Trudeau’s lack of experience, portraying him as not ready to lead, ending with a dismissive “nice hair, though”.

Politics Canada election