politics
Where to Watch the Federal Election
Don't watch the results roll in alone—check out one of these events to ensure you're in good company.
Photo by Dawid Werminski from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.
Yes, Monday night the Jays will play the Royals, but of equal or—dare we say it—greater importance is the federal election. Polls close at 9:30 p.m., and then it’s off to a friends living room or local bar to anxiously await the results of who might lead the country’s next government (sadly, not Jose Bautista). If you’re not sure where to watch, we’ve rounded up some local events so you can spend the night in good company.
- Bloor Broadcast: Canada Votes 2015
What better way to engage with the spectacle that is Canadian politics than on the big screen? Bloor Cinema will be showing the results, with doors opening at 8:30 p.m. (and yes, their bar will be open). Tickets are free and limited to two per person, but you’ll want to act fast before they sell out—it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get a ticket to a later showing. - Victory Party—Live Election Results at the Gladstone
- Canadaland Election Night Party
- For the Conservative Faithful
- For Those Who Dream of an Orange Crush
- For the Liberal-minded
While the problem with naming your event “Victory Party,” is that it can only be such a thing for some, the Gladstone promises to be a classy, alternative viewing locale to your local dive bar. Aside from the standard viewing screens, there will also be themed drinks, including the Orange Wave and the Soylent Green. With no cover and doors open at 6:00 p.m., this is an excellent choice for those looking to ring in the new Prime Minister in style.
Canadaland, Jesse Brown’s popular Canadian media criticism podcast, will host an event Monday night at the Monarch Tavern in Little Italy. The event invites fans and political wonks to watch the results come in, and then afterwards, be part of the audience for a live taping of the Canadaland Commons podcast. Brown, along with Commons hosts Desmond Cole (a Torontoist staff writer) and Andray Domise, will be present and live-tweeting all the action, and “Democratic Drink Specials” will be on the menu (whatever those may be). It’s the perfect event for politics lovers and twitter devotees (but maybe not for anyone rooting for Harper).
History shows that you need to get out of the downtown core to find a critical mass of Toronto Conservatives. Mark Adler has a particularly strong following in York Centre, where he won his first term in 2011. Stopping by his campaign office on election night means you can cheer him on with other like-minded folks—his office will be providing food and drinks of a non-alcoholic nature (so they better hope he wins).
Supporters of NDP University-Rosedale candidate Jennifer Hollett can find her at the CSI Annex on Monday night (720 Bathurst Street). The campaign will be providing “light refreshments,” along with beer and wine—organizers didn’t include information about the décor, but plenty of orange seems like a safe bet.
As it turns out, Liberal campaign offices are holding election-night events that are “volunteer only.” Still, if you’re particularly jazzed about a Liberal victory in your riding, heading over to your local campaign office would be a good way to join in on the cheering, and a chance to meet campaigners looking to celebrate further at a local bar.