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Americans, Canadians jubilant as history unfolds south of border
« on: November 05, 2008, 04:35:19 AM »
Americans, Canadians jubilant as history unfolds south of border
Tue Nov 4, 11:11 PM
By The Canadian Press



Toronto Mayor David Miller (centre) reacts at an
Election night party in a downtown restaurant


Among curious Canadians and expatriate Americans alike, anticipation turned to jubilation Tuesday as those who gathered in living rooms, churches and pubs across Canada bore witness to Barack Obama's historic presidential victory.

In Toronto, more than 500 people jammed a popular restaurant in the city's Little Italy neighbourhood for a partisan cross-border gathering hosted by Democrats Abroad Canada. For many of Obama's most ardent supporters, it was over almost as soon as it started.

"That's our next president!" one woman yelped when TV commentators declared an Obama win in the key state of Pennsylvania.

"It's exciting, it's brilliant, it's awesome," said Esi Perry, a citizen of both countries, as she predicted a definitive win for the Democratic nominee.

"He's really the answer to what the world needs for a world leader. As a man who has nothing but integrity, it's just a change that we really need."

The Toronto event was just one of countless other election-return parties taking place across the country.

In Montreal, the mood was no different at the Imani Family Full Gospel Church, where about 100 people were gathered to watch the outcome.

Lawrence Edwards moved to Montreal from the Caribbean nation of St. Vincent in 1961. For years, the 74-year-old said, he was the target of relentless prejudice.

"From my experience in America, I never expected I would live long enough to see something like this," Edwards said of an African-American winning the U.S. presidency.

"This is a momentous occasion."

Edwards admitted, however, that he has mixed feelings about an Obama victory and added hopes it brings a lasting change.

"It's very sad to see that it's taken our people this long to come out of the darkness and into a new light."

Jamaican native Yvonne Rhoden said Obama's win represents hope for people around the world.

"This is proof that we're all one," said Rhoden, an enthusiastic Obama supporter who was one the rowdiest people in the church for most of the evening.

"I always knew that one day the road was going to take that turn, and it has taken the turn."

In Vancouver, a group calling itself Canadians for Obama jammed into the Yale Town Brewery to watch the returns roll in.

Group co-founder Ajay Puri said he called about 1,000 Americans during the last three days of the campaign, urging them to get out and vote.

One woman he reached in Las Vegas asked him, "My God, now are you guys voting in our election?"

Others expressed a desire to migrate north of the border if McCain managed to eke out a win, Puri added.

Chuck Wootten also with the group Canadians for Obama and what he expects of an Obama presidency

"Obama's got a lot of people expecting a lot from him," said Chuck Wootten, also a proud member of Puri's partisan group.

"But I think there will be some generational change and I hope he does clean up Washington and get rid of some of the corruption currently there."
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