Liberals win decisive victory in Canadian elections

Canada's Liberal Party has decisively won parliamentary elections, ending nine years of Conservative rule, partial results show.

The Liberals, led by Justin Trudeau, are leading in 185 electoral districts.

The son of late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau is now poised to form a majority government, Canada's CBC and CTV networks predict.

Incumbent Conservative PM Stephen Harper - whose party is leading in 103 districts - accepted defeat.

Speaking after the polls closed, he said he had already congratulated Trudeau, saying the Conservatives would accept the results "without hesitation".

His party said Mr Harper would resign as leader of the Conservatives.

Addressing his jubilant supporters shortly afterwards, Trudeau said that Canadians "sent a clear message tonight - it's time for a change".

"We beat fear with hope, we beat cynicism with hard work. Most of all we defeated the idea that Canadians should be satisfied with less.

"This is what positive politics can do," he said, also praising Harper for his service to the country.

Meanwhile, the left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) is on course to win 41 seats, less than half the number they held in the outgoing parliament.

"I congratulated Mr Trudeau on his exceptional achievement," said NDP leader Tom Mulcair.

To form a majority government, a party needs 170 seats in the 338-member parliament.