Justin Trudeau is headed back to Ottawa, and his narrow re-election as Canada's prime minister could have impacts for western Washington in the coming months.
On Tuesday, Trudeau was re-elected with the lowest share of the popular vote in Canadian history, according to the National Post. That's likely due in part to a pair of scandals, and at least in British Columbia, Trudeau's support of a new oil pipeline.
There are some who believe a weakened Trudeau, who will head back with a "minority" government, could be forced to revisit that pipeline deal.
Matt Morrison is the CEO of the Seattle-based Pacific Northwest Economic Region, a bi-national partnership with representatives on both sides of the border.
Morrison believes Canada and the United States have the biggest trade relationship in the world and the election should not change that. However, he looks at the Trans Mountain pipeline as a potential story.
The pipeline deal was backed by Trudeau and allowed for the construction of the pipeline from Alberta through British Columbia and was approved despite the Prime Minister's "green" reputation. It also included a big $1.5 billion commitment for environmental protections that impact the Puget Sound.
"(It) would deal with a lot the things we're concerned about here in the Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca in terms concerns over oil spills, concerns for the speed of vessels, putting in three new rescue tugs to protect all of us, so that's an issue to watch," said Morrison.
That's because Trudeau, whose Liberal party does not have a majority, will have to work with other leaders to a minority coalition. That's where leaders like Jagmeet Singh of the New Democratic Party (NDP) could come into play.
In advance of the election, some people called Singh a "kingmaker" because of the chance he would align with Trudeau in the coalition.
Singh was a story from the Canadian election, as his NDP captured the third most votes behind the Liberals and Conservatives. He is a practicing Sikh and the first person of color to lead a national party in the election.
At a boisterous, music-filled victory party in suburban Vancouver Monday night, Singh and his wife danced with supporters as if they'd won the whole thing. That was despite losing seats nationwide and having only the fourth most seats in parliament.
Yet, the NDP platform is more similar to the Liberals, than the Conservatives, who finished with the second-most seats, and the Bloc Quebecois, who finished third.
Kennedy Stewart, Vancouver's mayor, is a former member of the NDP and gave up his Burnaby seat, which is now occupied by Singh.
"In a minority situation, if that's the configuration, I think there is opportunity to take a second look at that pipeline, which I think could happen," said Stewart, in an interview prior to the election results being announced.
Stewart said he was worried about a conservative prime ministership, which he said would have cut Vancouver's gains on affordable housing, transportation, and drug treatment, and added it would have been a "disaster" for the city.