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Ottawa’s TD Arena erupted into cheers when CBC News called the election for Liberal Leader Mark Carney just after 10 p.m. on Monday.
It didn’t take long before many attendees of the Liberal Party event had drinks and “Carney for Canada” signs in hand.
At the time, attendees were still hoping for a majority Liberal government. All eyes stayed trained on the jumbo screen streaming CBC’s news broadcast as the seat counts fluctuated, ultimately settling on what, as of early Tuesday morning, looks to be a Liberal minority government.
Every time the broadcast confirmed a Liberal seat or showed Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre trailing Liberal candidate Bruce Fanjoy in Carleton the cheers returned with fervour.
Many people at Liberal HQ expressed relief — not surprise — at the results.
Twenty-five-year-old Ria Paul-Chowdhury started the day off nervous but when the news networks called the election her stress disappeared. The Liberals’ victory did not surprise her because she says the campaign, herself included, really put in the work. Paul-Chowdhury lives in Nepean – Carney’s riding — and was out canvassing this election.
“I’m feeling great,” she said. “I’m enjoying the vibes, I’m enjoying the excitement of people.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney took the stage at 1:20 a.m., following Poilievre’s concession speech. He congratulated Poilievre on a hard-fought, fair election campaign.
Carney won handily in Nepean against Conservative candidate and local resident Barbara Bal. The same cannot be said for Poilievre: at the time of writing the Conservative leader is still trailing.
“I’m looking forward to working with Bruce Fanjoy,” Carney said with a smile.
In his victory speech Carney emphasized Canada’s sovereignty from the US and the need to “Build, baby, build.”
Canada must “do things previously thought impossible at speeds we haven't seen in generations,” Carney said.
“It's time to build twice as many homes every year with an entirely new housing industry using Canadian technology, Canadian skilled workers, Canadian lumber. It's time to build new trade and energy corridors working in partnership with the provinces, territories and indigenous peoples.”
This includes building a competitive, climate-friendly industrial strategy, jobs in the skilled trades and a single Canadian economy with free trading within Canada’s borders.
Carney also repeated his usual line about building Canada into “an energy superpower of both clean and conventional energy” — a line that raises alarm bells for many climate experts.
The main thrust of Carney’s speech focused on the US, positing that the system of global trade based on our neighbours to the south is over.
“United, we will win this trade war and build the strongest economy in the G7,” Carney said.
“We can give ourselves far more than the Americans can ever take away. But even given that, I want to be clear: The coming days and months will be challenging, and they will call for some sacrifices, but we will share those sacrifices by supporting our workers and our businesses.”
Down With Webster performed just after 2 a.m. at Liberal HQ to top off the long night.
Natasha Bulowski / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada’s National Observer
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