In big news to any and all non-conservative Peterboroughans, the era of bathtub vlogs and wine-fueled rants from your Member of Parliament has come to an end. Emma Harrison, the local Liberal Party candidate has been declared winner, and will now take up the mantle in Ottawa. 

Now, this is all stuff you know, because unlike other, more reputable sources, Arthur did not force her staff to edit and write an article at 1 AM [Editor’s Note: I was tempted]. Also, you probably have a phone or something and saw the news live on the CBC app. 

What those other, (allegedly) Liberally-funded news sources can’t tell you though, is the truth. 

Which is that it was a pretty pleasant evening. 

The Canadian Canoe Musuem is much nicer than I thought it would be. Whereas I expected, well, canoes, the event was hosted in the beautiful entry hall adjacent from the Silver Bean café, and the food was quite good, albeit a little bougie for my tastes (for example, Grana Padano Cheese wrapped in bacon, which I must admit was absolutely delicious). 

One major vibe improvement over the last campaign party I covered (for Progressive Conservative Dave Smith) was that the campaign staff weren’t all glaring at me from corners. In a very rare turn of events, not a single person present turned down an interview, which allowed me to get a much better perspective of those in attendance. 

One of the most frequent causes of concern for those in attendance was Trump and Poilievre. When I asked what had motivated a father and daughter pair who had volunteered for Harrison to support her, they said “I think we’re more aligned with the Liberal Party’ s beliefs.” 

“We’re a little more worried about the goings on in the States, and feel like the Liberal Party is probably the better party to lead us through that.” When asked about their primary concerns, they said “I think it was more what we were opposed to. I think it was helpful for us to be able to align ourselves with this party because they support women’s rights, and immigration policies… that’s what was most important.”

“It was our impression that the Conservatives and their leaders were a little bit more aligned with what’s happening in the States right now, and we didn’t want to go down that route.” 

This sentiment was repeated again and again throughout the night. Whether it was from a pair of NDP supporters who professed they voted strategically, or long time Liberal-supporting siblings, almost everyone I spoke with cited Trump and Poilievre’s similarities, and their anxieties about a seemingly more and more right-wing Canada. 

Those in attendance were also charitable in their views of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who resigned back in January. While not necessarily universally beloved (one woman who had volunteered for the campaign confessed that she had voted for the NDP because of Trudeau last election), many of those were sympathetic tohim and his legacy. 

A retired man, who had also volunteered said “I think Trudeau did a number of really really good things. He brought in the childcare benefit, which lifted a lot of families out of poverty. I think he got embroiled into a lot of scandals that didn’t do well for him, and he was a very top-down type of leader, a lot of power was concentrated in the Prime Minister’s office. I feel like he needed to disperse that power a little bit. And he walked back on a few primary campaign promises early on.”

For the most part, though, the night  tone was that of optimism.  The room was filled with energy from the early lead the Liberals had in the maritimes, which managed to carry through despite the nervous crowding around the TV as the Conservatives nearly caught up in the polls,. Many were wearing the Liberal Party red, and I even saw one person wearing a “Lead us Big Daddy” pin, with a winking Mark Carney on it. 

There would be cheers and applause throughout the night for every advancement Harrison made in the polls, and debates and stories being shared by attendees echoing throughout the room in the interim. All this couldn’t hold a candle to the explosion that ensued when Harrison triumphantly entered the room after being declared winner.

 As the night wore on, the event got more and more crowded (A Conservative estimate would probably put the attendance in the thousands). Towards the climax of the event, it was difficult to maneuver through the crowd. When she entered the room, I had to find something to stand on before I could spot her, hugging and handshaking her way through the crowd.

In her victory speech Harrison spoke of unity and hope. It was also preceded by a cry of “lead us big mama!” from the crowd, which drew a smattering of laughter from the crowd. 

After the usual thanks, to her supporters and her volunteers and her family, she told attendees that “One of the most interesting parts of this campaign was during debates. People would come up to us afterwards and say “Hey, it’s really nice to see you, and Jaz, and Heather and the relationship you guys have built. And I think that is the only way forward…I am honoured to have been on a ballot with them, and their kindness, and their support, and how we clap for each other… actively supporting each other. And I would like to thank Michelle [Ferreri] for her service.” 

Then the room began to laugh.

“[Mark Carney] is a person who put his hand up, who decided to take on this huge role, for all of us, for Canada,” Harrison said. “That’s what he’s been given, in his life and career, and I feel the same way. The people of this riding and this community have supported me endlessly, my whole life. As a small business owner, as an athlete, as a young person just growing up. And so this is but a small part of my ability to repay everyone who’s ever supported me… I know people talk endlessly about tariffs, and Donald, and all those things. But the truth for me, what was on the ballot was humanity.”

Oh yeah, and Ferreri conceded a few hours later over Twitter, on top of a speech she gave to her own supporters at the Venue. 

One source alleged that she got "too sauced" and was not in a state to concede in person, though Arthur cannot confirm that was the reason for her absence.