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It turns out Justin Trudeau was right.

Time and space got rethought last night.

For the first time in nearly a decade, Canadians elected a Liberal government to run the nation, and for a second time put a Trudeau in power.

“Sunny ways,” Trudeau said. “This is what positive politics can do... 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 he understands that it may be difficult for his young family as they move into 24 Sussex but he grew up there and will be there to help them.

Stephen Harper, who guided this country through its most difficult economic times since the depression, fell short of a fourth term as prime minister and announced that he’ll step down immediately as leader of the Conservative Party. He asked that an interim leader be appointed.

“We put it all on the line — we gave everything we have to give and we have no regrets whatsoever,” Harper said, adding that the responsibility lies with him but the Conservatives would be a strong official opposition.

Justin Trudeau has promised to bring in middle class tax cuts, a massive infrastructure spending project and roll back the old age security benefit to 65.

He’s also pledged to legalize marijuana and run budget deficits for three years.

The “Real Change” campaign run by the Liberals will also change how the country acts on the international stage with a move to a non-combat role in the Middle East.

Trudeau promised a renewed relationship with aboriginal people, and a government committed to openness and transparency.

The night began well for Trudeau with the Liberals sweeping all 33 seats in Atlantic Canada, at the expense of both the Conservatives and the NDP who had previously held a combined 19 seats in the four provinces.

The trend continued west as the Liberals gobbled up NDP support in Quebec and Ontario.

Across the country, NDP and Conservative incumbents — including high-profile cabinet ministers Joe Oliver, Chris Alexander and Julian Fantino — were washed away by the red sea.

Harper, who campaigned on his economic record as well as the highly contentious niqab ban at citizenship ceremonies, did not see a complete vote collapse but fell far short of a fourth mandate.

Prominent Tories and New Democrats went down to defeat in the east, including Fisheries Minister Gail Shea and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt, and NDP deputy leader Megan Leslie.

In Toronto, the NDP’s Olivia Chow — her late husband, Jack Layton, led the NDP’s so-called “orange wave” in 2011 — fell to Liberal juggernaut Adam Vaughan in Trinity-Spadina.

And now, like father, like son — Trudeau, at 43 — becomes the first Canadian prime minister to follow his dad into the job.

Pierre Trudeau was known for his keen wit and infamously mouthed some very unparliamentary language during a heated debate in the House of Commons and later suggested he had been thinking “fuddle duddle or something like that.” The younger Trudeau, a father of three, is known for his easygoing charm, notwithstanding his skills in the boxing ring.

The Liberal leader began this campaign third in the polls and was dismissed by his opponents as a lightweight with “good hair.”

He used better-than-expected appearances at televised debates to propel his campaign.

He dodged a last-minute scandal that cost him his campaign co-chair, Dan Gagnier, who sent an email advising client TransCanada Corp how to lobby a new government on the Energy East pipeline.

NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, whose party lost official opposition status, said the campaign has showed major differences between the parties.

“Despite our many differences on policy, and on the way politics should be conducted, I thanked Mr. Harper for his service to our country,” Mulcair said. “I congratulated Mr. Trudeau on his exceptional achievement for both him and his party.” Trudeau made “ambitious” commitments to Canadians and the they will have high expectations of him, he said.

Mulcair’s comment suggested he would be sticking around to hold Trudeau accountable.

At the dissolution of the previous, 41st parliament, the Conservatives held 159 seats, the NDP served as the official opposition with 95 seats and the Liberals were the third party with 36 seats.

Bloc Quebecois, Strength in Democracy and the Green Party each held two seats, independent MPs held eight seats and four seats were vacant.

It was predicted an 11-week campaign would try the patience of Canadians, but instead it turned into a curiously mesmerizing clash of ideas that kept voters enthralled and engaged until the end.

The Mike Duffy expenses scandal trial dominated early coverage of the election campaign but was quickly supplanted by a slew of crazy issues, including a candidate who had to resign after video surfaced that showed him peeing in a client’s coffee cup.

It was a campaign of mini-scandals with social media revelations that ended multiple candidates’ election dreams.

As last night’s results flowed in, both Conservative and NDP strategists blamed each other for the Liberal win. New Democrats suggested the Conservative stand against the niqab was responsible for their poor showing in Quebec and Conservatives maintained the collapse of the NDP vote handed the win to the Liberals.

On the horizon, the new Liberal government will have to contend with a newly emboldened Bloc Quebecois which increased its support and seat count in Quebec.