Pauline Marois to become Quebec's 1st female premier

Pauline Marois and the Parti Qubcois claimed victory over the incumbent Liberals Tuesday night, winninga minority government in anelection nightthat ended with a deadly shooting.

One person died and another was critically injured aftershots were firedat Montreal's Metropolis, where Marois was in the middle of her victory speech. A third victim was treated for shock in hospital.

Quebec's premier-designate had just told a cheering crowd that Quebec needs to become an independentcountry when her bodyguards swooped in and whisked her off stage.

Marois took the podium just before midnightasa gleeful crowd of supporters burst intoa round ofGens du Pays, a nationalist anthem, Marois told all Quebecers she was hopeful they could put aside their differences for a united Quebec.

"Voters have made a choice and we will respect it, and we will govern with all other parties at the national assembly," she toldthe packed room at the Metropolis concert hall. The PQ won 54 of the province's 125 seats with 31.9 per cent of the vote, while the Liberals won 50 seats with 31.2 per cent of the vote.

Marois, 63, will become the province's first female premier.

During her speech, Marois thanked all of the candidates in the election and said the PQ will govern with all partiesrepresented atthe national assembly.

Harper congratulates Marois

In English, Marois directly addressed anglophone Quebecers, saying their rights would be respected.

"We share the same history, and I want us to shape together our common future," she said.

She also addressed her "friends and neighbours in Canada" saying that Quebec needs to become sovereign.

"We want a country and we will have it," Marois said to loud cheers.

The PQ has never governed in the past with a minority, however,and its ability to table a referendum question or any other confidence measure would be tested by Liberal opposition.

Potential support for the PQ from two members of Qubec Solidaire who were elected to the national assembly would still not provide a majority.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper congratulated Marois on her election win, but dismissed the prospect of Quebec sovereignty.

"We don't believe Quebecers want to reopen the old constitutional quarrels of the past," Harper said. "Our government will remain focused on jobs, economic growth and good economic management. We believe economic issues and jobs are also the priority of Quebecers. In that sense, we will continue working with the government of Quebec on those common objectives."

Federal interim Liberal Leader Bob Raeremarked on Twitterthat "Quebec voters reject separatist project."

Charest falls in own riding

While the minoritywin falls short ofa majority the PQ pitched for during the campaign,it marks a significant loss for the Liberals, who, after nineyears in power, gambled on a summer election a year before the end of their mandate.

Jean Charest, the longtime premier,lost his bet that student turmoil and a soft economy would be enough to push voters to support a Liberal government for a fourth term.

In his own riding of Sherbrooke, Charest lost to PQ candidate Serge Cardin, a former Bloc Qubcois MP.

With a hoarse voice, Charestconceded defeat to a crowd gathered in his home riding, alongside his wife and family.

"This is not the result I would have wanted. This is not a battle that I backed away from. I now have the firm conviction that our party will continue to serve Quebec, and will do it together."

Charest pointed to the PQ'sfailure to gain amajority,saying thecampaign resultsshow that the "future of Quebec lies within Canada."

He took responsibility for the Liberal loss, saying he did so with an "open heart."

"I tell you at the same time, there will be other chances for the Quebec Liberal Party," he said.

"We have work to do. We proposed things to Quebecers, and now, faced with a minority government, we will be able to make our own contribution to the further construction of Quebec."

Charest will likely consult his caucus before deciding on his future, according to a former cabinet minister and close ally.

Monique Gagnon-Tremblay said Charest is scheduled to meet his cabinet Wednesday and then his caucus later in the week.

In her victory speech, Marois told the crowd they should salute Charest who held a "demanding" job for nine years.

CAQ finishes 3rd with 19 seats

The newly formed Coalition Avenir Qubec, in its first appearance inan provincial election,had agood showing, coming in third with 19 seats.

"The political landscape of Quebec will never be the same," CAQ Leader Franois Legaulttold a crowdgathered inRepentigny. "We will see a new political force rise in Quebec.We can be proud of the road travelled in the last year."

Legault won his riding of l'Assomption in a down-to-the-wire race against his nearest opponent, the PQ'sLizabel Nitoi.

Qubec Solidaire won two seats, one each for its co-spokespeople. Franoise David marked her first win inthe Gouin riding,defeating PQ MNA Nicolas Girard, who had held the seat since 2004.

To a standing-room crowd at Montreal's Olympia Theatre, David thanked voters for believing in the party.

"Thank you for expressing a profound desire for a feminist, ecologist and sovereigntist change," she said.

The former president of the Quebec federation of womencongratulated Marois on her historic achievement as the first woman to lead Quebec's government.

Amir Khadir, the party's other spokesperson and sole QSMNA when the national assembly was dissolved, has also been re-elected in the Montreal riding of Mercier.

Jean-Martin Aussant, leader of the Option Nationale,lostto the CAQ candidate Donald Martel in the Nicolet-Bcancour riding.Aussant previously held the same ridingfor the PQ before he left the party in 2011.

Challenging night forkey candidates, cabinet ministers

While all eyes were on the party leaders, the spotlight was also shining on several key candidates.

Former student leader and PQ candidateLo Bureau-Blouinwon theriding of Laval-des-Rapides, defeating the Liberal incumbent Alan Paquet and CAQ's star challenger Maud Cohen.

Jacques Duchesneau, former head of the province's anti-corruption squad and high-profile CAQ candidate, won his race in St-Jrme.

Four cabinet ministersPierre Corbeil, Clment Gignac, Alain Paquet andSerge Simardwere all defeated. All four lost their seats to PQ challengers.

Heated campaign

This campaign wasnt a walk in the park for any party, with all leaders traversing the province and revving up the engines of their get-out-the-vote machine until its dying hours.

The Liberals were in a fight for their political lives since the campaign's very first day.

The PQand the upstart CAQ were quick to try to claim an advantage by highlighting the Liberal record on economic issues, the continuing corruption inquiry into the construction industry and the governments handling of the tuition crisis and resulting civil unrest last spring.

Voterselected 125 representativesto form the legislatures 40thnational assembly.Sixty-three seats were requiredto form a majority government.