Close X
Saturday, November 2, 2024
ADVT 
National

Canadian election watchers to gather in bars, homes to watch polarizing U.S. vote

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 01 Nov, 2024 10:07 AM
  • Canadian election watchers to gather in bars, homes to watch polarizing U.S. vote

Canadians engrossed in the drama of the U.S. presidential election expect to gather in bars and living rooms to watch the votes roll in Tuesday, but many say the usual fanfare of watch parties will be muted by anxiety over the especially combative race.

Dustin Herberman of Vaughan, Ont., says he’ll follow the results with his parents, who lean more to the right of the political spectrum than he does. He’s steeling himself for a night of delicate chit-chat meant to avoid squabbles over polarizing candidates Kamala Harris for the Democrats and Republican candidate Donald Trump.

“Pretty much it's just kind of agreed upon by everyone — you don't push too many buttons during the vote,” he says of the house rules.

The 35-year-old Herberman plans to monitor CNN with occasional flips to Canadian networks but expects there will be “a little bit of a fight for control of the TV” with his dad: “It's probably going to be flipped at least part of the time to Fox News.” 

For poll watchers who prefer a bigger gathering, there are events planned across the country, many of them organized by provincial political associations, non-partisan policy organizations and expat groups.

Meanwhile, pubs, bars and eateries eyeing a chance to spur traffic on a typically slower Tuesday will turn at least some of their screens from sports to the news channels – especially in the border city of Windsor, Ont., where one city councillor hoped “the talk of the town” will drive business.

“This year is more captivating than any year that I could possibly remember since the 30 years I've lived in Windsor, no question about it,” Renaldo Agostino says of the U.S. race.

Agostino says several bars, eateries and a comedy club were among the businesses planning events in downtown Windsor, where U.S. news is inescapable due to the saturation of Detroit radio, TV and cross-border traffic.

Over in Toronto, VideoCabaret’s “Vox Pop '24: The Elephant Rolls Over, An American Election Watch Party” will double as a fundraiser for the theatre’s upcoming 50th anniversary. The “evening of satire, music and scintillating banter,” promises performances, panel discussion, special videos, and a themed buffet and bar, say organizers Janet Burke and Anand Rajaram.

Most of all, it will offer a safe space to process what will likely be an inflammatory outcome, no matter the vote result, says Burke.

“You look around and folks were saying, ‘I don't know if I'm going to watch,’ ‘I'm going to hide under my bed,’ ‘I'm going to just wake up the next day and see what happens,’” says Burke, founding member of the theatre.

“So we've invited people to come and wring their hands together. Let's all just join hands and see what happens.”

And when the results come in, “we'll slink off or we'll jump up in great relief,” she says. 

Like Agostino, political marketing expert Dave Bussiere senses "a heightened interest" and broader curiosity among Canadians than what was seen in the previous two U.S. elections.

Bussiere, an associate professor at the University of Windsor, runs a political marketing course focused on predicting the fates of Harris and Trump and says he'll be watching the results roll in with the neutrality of "a scientist."

But he can easily see how emotions can get the best of some observers.

"The support for each of the two parties has become more polar. So I could picture people, if they're doing a watch party, to want to be amongst people who agree. People seem to not have as much patience, or don't have much patience with people who support the other party."

Bussiere says he'll tune into TV news coverage with his wife and son, but also plans to connect virtually with his brother in Montreal, two daughters in Toronto and his students.

Canadian prime time coverage Tuesday is set to include live reports on CBC from chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault and senior Washington correspondent Paul Hunter; a panel of experts on CTV News Channel led throughout the evening by chief political correspondent Vassy Kapelos, while “CTV National News with Omar Sachedina” will be on location in Washington, D.C.

Global News’ Dawna Friesen and correspondents are set to host a national live stream available on GlobalNews.ca, YouTube, the Global TV App, Pluto TV and Prime.

Rajaram says his event makes no pretence of leaning towards Harris and away from harsh rhetoric that has especially targeted marginalized groups.

"We're saying in the invites, cheekily: Don't be alone on election night. But it goes far beyond that. It's: ‘You don't need to be alone,’ period, says Rajaram, associate artistic director of VideoCabaret.

“There's a community of people here who are as invested in the world and that worldview as you are, and we want to be a hub for people to feel safe and feel supported."

MORE National ARTICLES

Families call for inquiry after nine Indigenous people killed in police interactions

Families call for inquiry after nine Indigenous people killed in police interactions
A group of Black and Indigenous women say they want a national public inquiry into a recent spate of police-involved deaths, after nine Indigenous people were killed in interactions with police in August and September. About two dozen people gathered on Parliament Hill on Tuesday, including the families of eight people who died. 

Families call for inquiry after nine Indigenous people killed in police interactions

Increase in youth carrying weapons

Increase in youth carrying weapons
RCMP in North Vancouver say they're seeing an increased number of youth carrying weapons in the community. Youth officers say they had more than 10 interactions with youth carrying weapons in a two-week period.

Increase in youth carrying weapons

Ottawa remembers reservist killed in Parliament Hill attack one decade later

Ottawa remembers reservist killed in Parliament Hill attack one decade later
After targeting Cirillo, the gunman made his way down the street to Parliament Hill and entered Centre Block, where he fired multiple shots before he was killed. The attack happened in the Hall of Honour while Conservative and NDP MPs were gathered in surrounding committee rooms for their weekly caucus meetings.

Ottawa remembers reservist killed in Parliament Hill attack one decade later

Death toll rises to three after atmospheric river that drenched southern B.C

Death toll rises to three after atmospheric river that drenched southern B.C
At least three deaths have been linked to torrential rain from an atmospheric river weather system that hammered British Columbia's south coast over the weekend. On Vancouver Island, police said Tuesday that emergency personnel were waiting for an opportunity to safely recover the body of a driver whose vehicle was submerged when an overflowing river washed out a road near Bamfield on Saturday.

Death toll rises to three after atmospheric river that drenched southern B.C

Eby says B.C. Greens not yet ready for minority talks as Furstenau stays Green leader

Eby says B.C. Greens not yet ready for minority talks as Furstenau stays Green leader
Recounts in two ridings and a tally of 49,000 absentee and mail-in ballots that are set to begin this Saturday will hold the key to the outcome, with both the NDP and the B.C. Conservatives falling short of the 47 ridings needed to form a majority after the initial count ended on the weekend.

Eby says B.C. Greens not yet ready for minority talks as Furstenau stays Green leader

59 year old man missing in Coquitlam

59 year old man missing in Coquitlam
Police are asking for the public's help in locating a 59-year-old man who was last seen near Pipeline Road and Galette Avenue, beside the swollen Coquitlam River. Robert Belding went missing Sunday afternoon at the tail end of an atmospheric river weather system that drenched B-C's south coast over the weekend.

59 year old man missing in Coquitlam