OTTAWA, June 29 (UPI) -- Despite losing 42 parliamentary seats, Canada's Liberal Party won a minority government with 135 seats, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., said Tuesday.
During six weeks of campaigning, poll after poll predicted a much tighter finish between the Liberals, led by Prime Minister Paul Martin, and the Conservatives, led by Stephen Harper.
But the Conservatives managed to win only 99 seats in the 308-member parliament. The party fared poorly in vote-rich Ontario and in Quebec, where the separatist-based Bloc Quebecois took 54 of the 75 seats, or ridings.
The national leftist New Democratic Party took 19 seats.
To pass legislation in coming months, Martin will need the assistance of either the NDP or Bloc to reach a 155 vote majority, which undoubtedly will slow down parliament, the CBC said.
In the popular vote, Liberals led with 36.71 percent, Conservatives 29.61 percent, the NDP 15.69 percent, and the Bloc Quebecois 12.4 percent.
