Conservative, Stephen Harper Wins

Canadians elect a Conservative minority:

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper has won a minority government on Monday, putting an end to more than 12 years of Liberal rule.

Polls across the country are now closed and results are pouring in.

As of 11:25 p.m. ET, the Conservatives were in a commanding lead with 123 seats, compared to 103 for the second place Liberals. But Harper will be denied the 155 seats he will need to lead a Tory majority.

The Bloc Quebecois has won 50 seats, while the NDP currently sits at 31.

Support for the Tories took off when the polls closed west of Atlantic Canada.

Harper, Canada's next prime minister, has been re-elected in the Alberta riding of Calgary Southwest. The Conservatives dominated in the West, and took most seats in the Prairies, as expected.

But it was in battleground Ontario where the Conservatives made a big breakthrough, with most of the polls showing they're on track to take a dozen or more seats than the 24 they won in 2004.

This is a major blow for the Left, not just in Canada, but here and abroad. This could only help the Canada/America relationship, which has been waning over the years.