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Andrew Scheer takes one last shot at Justin Trudeau in resignation speech

As tributes and goodbyes rolled in for Andrew Scheer, the former Conservative Party leader took a moment in his speech to get in one final dig at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“If the prime minister won’t mind a little bit of good-natured ribbing,” Scheer started.

“I believe I’m the first person in Canadian history to get more votes than a Trudeau,” he said to laughs from the House of Commons.

Scheer is referencing the Conservative party’s win of the popular vote - 34 per cent of Canadian voters. The Liberals won 33 per cent, but Canada’s first-past-the-post electoral system means the number of seats won by the party dictates the victor.

The Liberals won 157 seats, with the Conservatives trailing at 121 and the Bloc rising to grab 32.

Scheer resigned from the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada after post-election pressure mounted. The party was unable to secure a win over Trudeau’s Liberals in an election mired by scandals.

“I felt it was time to put my family first,” Scheer said as part of the reason for his decision. He said he would support his successor “100 per cent.”

Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh both thanked Scheer for his service and said they respected his decision to focus on his family.

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