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By Michele Gorman
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After a federal election campaign that lasted almost three months, Canada on Monday night elected a new prime minister after the Liberal party's Justin Trudeau defeated the long-serving conservative Stephen Harper.
In the final days of campaigning, Trudeau had emerged in opinion polls from third place, behind incumbent Harper and the left wing New Democratic party, to reach No. 1. His party ultimately took 184 of the 338 seats in Parliament.
"Canadians from all across this great country sent a clear message tonight. It's time for a change in this country, my friends, a real change," Trudeau said following his sweeping victory.
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"You want a government with a vision and an agenda for this country that is positive and ambitious and hopeful. Well my friends, I promise you tonight that I will lead that government," he added.
But who exactly is Trudeau, anyway, and how will he influence Canada's relations with the U.S.?
Who Is Trudeau?
Trudeau, 43, was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, where the prime minister's official residence is located. He is the eldest son of the former and late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, who served held office in Canada for 15 years—first from 1968 to 1979, and then again from 1980 to 1984.
He received a bachelor of arts degree in literature from McGill University in Montreal, and a bachelor of education degree from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Prior to becoming involved with politics, he held various roles, such as a teacher, snowboard instructor and an actor. He's used his family name to promote different causes, including a call to increase Canada's relief efforts to Haitians following the 2010 earthquake in the island country.
Trudeau was elected as a member of Parliament in both 2008 and 2011. In October 2012, he launched his bid to lead Canada's Liberal party at a rally in Montreal, and he was elected the following year with about 80 percent of the vote.
Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire, have three young children. He will now become the second youngest prime minister in Canada's history.
What Are His Policies?
Trudeau's predecessor, a fiscal and cultural conservative, often disagreed on issues with President Barack Obama, including the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline, which would bring heavy tar sands oil from Canada across the middle of the U.S. to a port in the Gulf of Mexico.
Trudeau supports the Keystone XL and has refused to take a clear-cut position on TransCanada's proposed pipeline that would transport 1.1 million barrels of tar sands east across Canada. But he is expected to ease some tensions with the U.S.
Many environmentalists are hopeful he will be open to international climate agreements, in the wake of Harper's pro–tar sands industry and anti-climate science administration. Trudeau has promised to combat climate change by proposing a policy within 90 days of the United Nations climate change summit, which begins next month.
An official handover of power is expected from Harper, who is 56, to Trudeau, in Ottawa in the coming weeks. Opponents criticize the photogenic and shaggy-haired Trudeau for having more style than wisdom. But he has pledged to make big policy changes.
Syrian Refugee Crisis
In recent months, thousands of Syrians have fled from violence and unrest in their country. Amid the unfolding crisis, it took weeks for Harper to increase settlements of people seeking refuge in Canada. He defended his government's approach and called the liberals' promise "reckless" for saying the country would open its doors to assist with the crisis. Meanwhile, Trudeau has said he will welcome 25,000 refugees into Canada by January 1, 2016, according to The Star.
Legalizing Marijuana
Harper strongly opposes the legalization of marijuana, which he called "infinitely worse" than tobacco. While he promised to maintain strict drug laws if re-elected, Trudeau has pledged to legalize marijuana immediately.
Taxes
If re-elected, Harper said he would prohibit increases to federal income tax rates by introducing a four-year "tax lock," local media reported. But Trudeau plans to raise taxes on the richest 1 percent of Canadians, according to Time magazine.
Islamic State (ISIS)
Harper said he would continue to support Canada's bombing campaign in Iraq and Syria until the anti-ISIS coalition prevails. Trudeau, on the other hand, is expected to drop out of the U.S.-led combat mission against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, to support humanitarian aid.
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