“Twenty thousand doors we knocked on, and even more phone calls, that’s how you win elections,” he said. “By hard work and hope. And that is the Trudeau way, as well.”

With all polls reporting, Lefebvre won the riding with 23,534 votes, well ahead of NDP challenger Paul Loewenberg (13,793 votes), Conservative Fred Slade (10,465) and Green David Robinson (1,509). That’s a turnout of around 69.32 per cent, according to Elections Canada.*

*Poll numbers updated 9 a.m. Oct. 20.

“I want to take a moment to thank Paul Loewenberg, Fred Slade and David Robinson for a great campaign,” Lefebvre said. “It was a respectful and positive campaign and I want you to give them a big round of applause.”

Talking to reporters after his speech, Lefebvre said Trudeau’s charisma helped him and the rest of the Liberal slate boost their vote totals.

“Justin Trudeau played a large, large role across Canada,” he said. “With his positive campaign, we were all positive on the ground.”

“His team was pushing us to go knock on doors every day. Don’t stop, don’t stop … What I enjoyed the most was the fact they were listening to us. They wanted to hear what was going on at the doors.

“It wasn’t a top-down campaign, it was a bottom-up campaign. And that is phenomenal. I’m going to Ottawa knowing I have a voice, that Sudbury has a voice, and I’m thrilled about that.”

Lefebvre also thanked his family, in particular his wife, Lyne Giroux, whom he said gave him permission to run.

“She made all this possible,” he said. “Because I asked her, ‘Can I do this?’ And she said I had her full support. Without her, I wouldn’t be here. She is the rock of my life, she is the love of my life.”

He also thanked Sudburians, as well as some party veterans who helped him campaign – former MPP Rick Bartolucci, Paul Marleau, widow of former Sudbury MP Diane Marleau, and current MPP Glenn Thibeault.

“Thank you so much guys — I had mentors throughout this whole campaign,” Lefebvre said. “I have been so, so lucky. The support has been overwhelming, and I’m humbled. I’m truly humbled by this support. Thank you, thank you so much.

“Sudbury is back at the government table again.”

Thibeault said the story of election night was the success of Trudeau and the collapse of NDP support. The former NDP politician said like him, the more Canadians got to know NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, the less he appealed to them.

“One of the main reasons I was looking at leaving was (the NDP) wasn’t talking about the issues that people really care about or want to be involved in, and I think the results are showing that,” Thibeault said.

“There are still some good people in that party, I’m not going to sit here and slam them. But I think when you’re looking for a positive change for the country, it’s the Liberal Party that brought that.

“So I’m truly thrilled to see so many people that I know returning to the House of Commons, and, as the premier has said all along, a partner that we can work with.”