Canadians gather for camaraderie, food and drink at U.S. election night watch parties

By The Canadian Press on November 5, 2024.

Canadians from coast to coast are gathering with a mixture of excitement and anxiety to watch one of the biggest political shows on Earth: the U.S. election results.

Community centres, theatres, bars, restaurants and homes across Canada turned televisions to U.S. networks Tuesday evening ahead of the first polls closing.

At a pub on Saint Mary’s University campus in Halifax, a few dozen early arrivals were dispersed throughout the space, with extra staff on hand in anticipation of big crowds to gather. With final opinion polls suggesting a close race between Vice-President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump, chatter at the bar centred on speculation around when official results would be in.

At McLean’s Public House in downtown Montreal, televisions switched back and forth between sports channels and CNN as hockey fans in Habs jerseys mixed with politics watchers.

Bar customer Ian Campbell said he was feeling “extremely worried” about the prospect of a Trump victory.

“Trump can do some serious damage, not only to the United States, but serious damage to the world,” he said, evoking the possibility of Trump pulling back from NATO and withdrawing support to Ukraine.

He said he is disappointed with both presidential candidates on some issues, including what he sees as a failure to help Palestinians in Gaza.

“I think that Harris is just a safer option and I dearly hope that she wins,” he said.

In Ottawa, U.S. Ambassador David Cohen was expected to join politicos and diplomats at the Metropolitain Brasserie, just steps from Parliament Hill, where he is expected to give brief remarks.

In Toronto’s west end, the Lithuanian House community centre is where Democrats Abroad will host about 150 Americans to celebrate the end of the campaign season with drinks, food, music and live election results on TV screens.

Organizer Colleen Mahaffie said the main focus is to give people a place to find some camaraderie on a nerve-racking night.

“It’s just an opportunity for our folks to get together, to chat, to watch the results as they roll in and to discuss how we think things are going,” she said.

Tickets are sold out, but the overflow crowd is being directed to the Trinity Common beer hall in Kensington Market.

The VideoCabaret theatre company is throwing a watch party fundraiser event in Toronto’s east end, including a buffet dinner and drinks, musical performances and panel discussions.

Several events are also planned in Vancouver, at the Pleasant, an eatery and social house on Main Street, and at the Rio Theatre, which will be projecting results on the big screen with buttery popcorn available.

The Canadian International Council is holding parties for its members in Ottawa and Victoria, with the B.C. event including a trivia contest about the U.S. election.

In Windsor, Ont., between 70 and 80 people were expected to gather at the Bourbon Tap and Grill on Ottawa Street – many of whom were involved in a door-knocking campaign to get Americans living in the city to vote.

About 600,000 people who are eligible to vote in the U.S. election live in Canada, the largest number outside the United States, according to the Federal Voting Assistance Program.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.

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