Canadian TV viewers on Monday night had one eye on the federal election, where
Justin Trudeau’
s Liberal Party earned a massive win, while the Toronto Blue Jays on other screens were beating the Kansas City Royals in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.
But Canadians also saw
How to Train Your Dragon
star
Jay
Baruchel
on the
CBC
network narrating
a 3-minute “Why Your Vote Matters” video montage
. “Dear Canada, This is my non-partisan ‘take time to vote tomorrow’ tweet,” the Ottawa-born
Baruchel
tweeted before his short film aired as part of the
CBC
election coverage.
As the election returns came in Monday night, Liberal leader Trudeau, son of former Canadian prime minister
Pierre Trudeau
, ended the decade-long Conservative rule under prime minister
Stephen Harper
. The polls had barely closed in Quebec and Ontario in eastern Canada at 9:30 pm. ET and major TV networks like the
CBC
,
CP24
,
CTV
and Global Television were already predicting a Liberal win nationwide.
An hour later at 10:30 p.m.,
CTV
News and Global News were the first network newscasts to project a majority government for the surging Liberals. At press time, Trudeau’s Liberals were elected or leading in 189 ridings, compared to 103 ridings held by the departing Conservatives and another 35 seats won or leading for
NDP
candidates.
Trudeau’s massive victory was greeted with surprise, and bemusement, on social media, where comic and actor
Andy Richter
(
Conan
)
said on his Twitter account:
“Saw a tweet mention Liberal HQ & thought yet again
Mandy
Patinkin
didn’t invite me to one of his
bbqs
, but it was about the Canadian election.”
And
Monty Python
star
John
Cleese
in his own tweet
said: “Canadian friends: It’s Justin Time.” The Canadian election victory was also preceded by
Mike Myers
,
John Oliver
,
Wayne
Gretzky
and other Canadian ex-pats and non-Canadians in Hollywood coming forward to tell Canadians how to vote.
But don’t expect anyone outside of Canada to be fined or jailed for attempting to influence the election, after Oliver, the
Last Week Tonight
host, dared Canadian authorities to arrest him during his Sunday night commentary. Elections Canada, which runs the federal election, let Oliver off the hook for simply voicing his own opinion.
“The expression of personal political views by Canadians or non-Canadians as to which parties or candidates they support is not an offense under the act,” Elections Canada spokesman
John
Enright
told
Macleans
Magazine
. “This also applies to Mr. Oliver.”
Baruchel’s
video is below.