The collapse of Canada’s minor parties accounts for some of this local-level volatility. The left-wing New Democratic Party fell from 18% of the vote to 6%. The right-wing People’s Party dropped from 5% to 1%.

In their backgrounds and political styles, Canadian election front-runners Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre are a study in contrasts.

Prime Minister Mark Carney, who took the helm from his unpopular predecessor, Justin Trudeau, in March, led Liberals back from the brink of disaster to win 43.5% of the vote in the federal election against the Conservative Party of Pierre Poilievre, which received just over 41%. The turnaround was remarkable.