Why did Paul Martin lead a minority government after the 2004 federal election?

In 2004, Prime Minister Paul Martin called an early federal election to secure a public mandate for his premiership. Although the Liberal Party of Canada achieved a fourth consecutive electoral victory, the party lost nearly a quarter of its seats in the House of Commons, resulting in a minority government.12

Several factors contributed to this outcome:

• Political Scandal: The election took place amid allegations of corruption involving a sponsorship scheme in Quebec, where the Liberal administration was accused of funneling money to advertising firms associated with the party for little or no work.12
• Unified Opposition: Prior to the 2004 election, the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada merged to form the Conservative Party of Canada, creating a more unified opposition to the Liberals.2