It Wasn't the Night New Democrats Hoped For

It wasn't the night Canadian New Democrats hoped for.

At the party's central gathering in Montreal on Monday, a large split screen showing the election results seemed more and more an unwelcome guest as the wave of red began to roll in from Atlantic Canada.

Peter Stoffer, an NDP mainstay who represented his Sackville riding for 16 years, was gone.

Megan Leslie, the party's deputy leader and a popular and vocal MP representing Halifax, Nova Scotia, left with him.

Then, as the rest of the country opened up, the Liberal wins started spinning by like a gas pump meter.

The Liberals ultimately won a stunning majority victory, proving itself Canada's chosen party of change.

As of 10 p.m. PST, the NDP had won just 32 ridings, with a few British Columbia seats still in play.

In his concession speech, NDP leader Tom Mulcair said his party would continue to fight for NDP values. He did not resign as leader.

"With this election, Canadians have asked us all to work for them," Mulcair said. "We will not let them down."

Mulcair said he was proud of the diverse slate of candidates the NDP ran this election, pointing out that more indigenous people and women ran this year than in any other campaign in the country's history.

Niqab the turning point: strategist

Karl Belanger, a senior NDP strategist, said the momentum shifted for the party in mid-September when the Conservatives chose to use the issue of women wearing the niqab at citizenship ceremonies as a wedge issue.

Mulcair was forced to oppose it, a position unpopular among voters in the party's base of power in Quebec.

"It was the turning point during the campaign. Our opponents felt the NDP campaign was going too well," said Belanger.

"Stephen Harper brought this into the campaign. Mr. Mulcair has principles and he stood his ground and this is something New Democrats are really proud of."

NDP campaign chief Brad Lavigne said the party worked hard to bring about Prime Minister Harper's ousting, but ultimately voters handed the rewards to the Liberals.

"Mr. Mulcair has spent the last number of years prosecuting Mr. Harper, making the case for change for much of this campaign," Lavigne said. "We were that vehicle for change."

The NDP was criticized by some of its own supporters for promising a balanced budget, among other campaign decisions. The Liberals, on the other hand, promised to run three years of deficits to kickstart the economy.

Lavigne said the balanced budget was an important part of the NDP campaign. "Mr. Trudeau has said our children and grandchildren are going to pay for his commitments."

Over the next four years, Lavigne said the party's goal would be to push the NDP agenda and hold the Liberals to account.

With files from Canadian Press.