Canadians gather in-person and virtually for U.S. ‘cliffhanger’ but result elusive

Canadians and Americans living in Canada huddled around TV and computer screens across the country Tuesday night to watch the results of the divisive U.S. presidential election rolled in but a quick decision was unlikely.

Most get-togethers were virtual given the COVID-19 pandemic, although some in-person events took place in pubs and homes.

In Edmonton, about a dozen people attended an election party at a downtown bar, River City Revival House. Felicia Winston, who was with friends, said the outcome will affect her life as a Black woman significantly.

“Trump being a president makes it OK for people who have racist or bigoted views to express them more freely,” Winston said. “On a global scale, Trump is really influential on how people behave.”

Kathy Fraser, who joined her parents at their home in Toronto, admitted to some anxiety as she watched the night unfold.

“It’s been such a tense lead-up to it that we can’t not (watch),” said Fraser, 38, a documentary maker and social worker. “It’s like an itch you can’t help scratching. Definitely a cliffhanger.”

It was unlikely, however, that even those who hung in all night would find out whether Republican President Donald Trump would keep the White House or lose it to his Democrat challenger, former vice-president Joe Biden. Most experts had believed it could take days if not weeks to get the final results.

With millions of ballots in several states still to be counted as of midnight, Biden was leading in the Electoral College votes that ultimately will decide whether he will be the next U.S. president. 

The president has been iffy about whether he would accept defeat if the results went against him, leaving many to wonder about the uncertainty that would cause.

Actress Jinjara Mitchell of the TV series Zooey’s Extraordinary Playlist, worried about how people would react regardless of who wins.

 “I hope that there’ll be a peaceful outcome either way, and that the country can find a way to unite regardless of the results,” she said from her home in Vancouver.

One socially distanced in-person event took place at the Good Robot Brewing Company in Halifax. 

Four years ago, Good Robot hosted more than 100 people for its election night watch party. It was an “intense” experience at which people cried and held onto each other, said Brent Braaten, the company’s creative director, but much has changed since.

“The world is on fire right now,” Braaten said. “This is, perhaps, the most important event that’s happened in our lifetimes.”

In Iqaluit, where the city was still drying off from the first blizzard of the season, residents were also watching.

Jeff Maurice, who grew up in Nunavut, said the outcome would have an impact on the future of the Canadian Arctic.

“Inuit, for the past 40 to 45 years have been trying to advocate for self-determination,” said Maurice, who was watching with his wife Sima Sahar Zerehi. “Everything is kind of riding on the U.S. federal election on what way those policies are going to go.” 

One of the larger organized events — via Zoom — was hosted by Democrats Abroad. An estimated 620,000 Americans live in Canada. About 150 people — some in their pyjamas — attended the gathering.

One was Terry Fuller, a Canadian-American photographer in Vancouver. Fuller settled in with wine and her favourite comfort food, pizza to watch. Trump has divided Americans during his time in office, she said.

“If he wins again, I don’t think that the democracy down there will survive,” she said. It just breaks my heart.”

The election tally comes at a time when Canadians’ view of the United States has distinctly soured. One recent poll found more than three in five Canadians had an unfavourable view of the U.S. Polls have also suggested about two-thirds of Canadians were hoping to see Biden win.

Democrats Abroad had been especially busy in recent months urging expatriates in Canada, especially in border swing states such as Michigan, to get out and vote. Michigan, however, seemed on track to stay solidly Trump.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also fretted about a contested outcome. 

“If it is less clear, there may be some disruptions and we need to be ready,” Trudeau said.

In Montreal, former newspaper editor Michael Shenker invited about 30 friends and family, armed with a drink, to join him for a virtual chat at his home. The dual Canadian-American citizen said he was looking for some company and a sense of community.

“Most elections I would be hanging out with a few people like I did four years ago,” Shenker said. “This is certainly a bigger election, perhaps the biggest one in my lifetime.”

— With files from Danielle Edwards in Halifax, Sidhartha Banerjee in Montreal, Fakiha Baig in Edmonton, Hina Alam in Vancouver and Emma Tranter in Iqaluit

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2020. 

Colin Perkel, The Canadian Press