Canada\`s Justin Trudeau Wins 3rd Term

Canadians returned Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to power Monday in hotly contested elections against a rookie conservative leader_ but he failed to gain an absolute majority_ according to projections by television networks.

Trudeau called the snap election last month_ hoping to parlay a smooth Covid-19 vaccine rollout -- among the best in the world -- into a new mandate to steer the nation's pandemic exit and pass his agenda without opposition support.

But after a bumpy five weeks of campaigning_ his voice was raspy and he appeared set for a repeat of the close 2019 general election that resulted in the one-time golden boy of Canadian politics clinging to power yet weakened after losing his majority in parliament.

"You (Canadians) are sending us back to work with a clear mandate to get through this pandemic into brighter days ahead_" Trudeau said_ flanked by his wife Sophie Gregoire and their children on stage at a victory gala.

"That's exactly what we are ready to do_" he said.

At 49_ Trudeau had faced tougher political bouts and still came out unscathed.

After six years in power_ however_ his administration is showing signs of fatigue_ and it was an uphill battle for him to convince Canadians to stick with his Liberals after falling short of high expectations set in his 2015 landslide win.