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Liberals retain the balance of power in the North

Manage to hold onto six ridings, while NDP retains two, and Conservatives pick up two
20191021 rota speaks to supporters
Anthony Rota speaks to supporters Monday night after winning another term in office. (Chris Dawson/BayToday)

The Liberal Party of Canada managed to hold onto the balance of power across Northern Ontario in the country's 43rd federal election, but they did it at the expense of a seat.

In Sudbury, Liberal incumbent Paul Lefebvre managed to retain his seat, as did his Nickel Belt counterpart Marc Serré.

The Nickel Belt race was tight, and it took quite a few poll results before the riding was declared for Serré after NDP newcomer Stef Paquette mounted a valiant challenge.

Across the 10 northern ridings, the Liberals held onto six seats. 

The party lost the Kenora riding after incumbent Bob Nault lost his seat to Conservative newcomer Eric Melillo.

The Conservatives also held onto the riding Parry Sound-Muskoka. The riding was held since 2006 by Tony Clement, who was forced to resign in November 2018 following a sexting scandal.

Despite this, the riding still went blue this time out, with former Huntsville mayor Scott Aitchison making the successful transition from municipal politics to federal.

As expected, popular Timmins-James Bay NDPer Charlie Angus held onto his seat for the sixth time. His counterpart in Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapusksasing, Carole Hughes, was also re-elected.

Nipissing-Temiskaming stayed Liberal, with Anthony Rota elected for a sixth term.

In the Sault Ste. Marie riding, Terry Sheehan kept the riding red with his re-election.

Moving farther west, Thunder Bay-Rainy River stayed Liberal with the election of Marcus Powlowski. The riding was represented by another Liberal, Don Rusnak, who announced back in March that he wouldn't be seeking re-election.

And in Thunder Bay-Superior North, Liberal Patty Hajdu was re-elected to a second term.