In the recent history of Canadian federal politics, elections have to a great extent been referendums on the incumbent (or recently incumbent) prime minister. The implicit message, at least, has been that if you vote for the new guy, all the bad stuff you associate with the old guy(s) will disappear. Justin Trudeau had his mania, but the fact was that in 2015 a critical mass of Canadians were sick of Stephen Harper — in the same basic way (albeit minus any flamboyant corruption) as they were sick of the Chrétien/Martin Liberals, in the same basic way (though not as comprehensively) as they were sick of the Mulroney/Campbell Tories, and in the same basic way they’re sick of Trudeau’s Liberals now.