Quebec War Stories (Dispatches from the Field)

Mentally drained at 10PM, the warriors marched into the office. Pat Fiore, our chief organizer for Quebec, and Marc Belanger, our lawyer, returned to Ignatieff HQ in Montreal to a roaring applause from the youth team plus Yves Lemire and Denis Coderre. The tired smiles on their faces summed up our day because today, was one for the ages.

A contingent of 6 of us were dispatched to “perm” (Party Headquarters) to assist with the counting of the postal vote. In Quebec, this is a big day. 26 ridings would be decided in one short afternoon.

After the gong show in Saint Leonard the night before, where old Italian people waltzed up to the table and said in Italian, “yeah I have to vote for these guys” with a slate in their hands, today was going to be a little bit more normal, at least I hoped it would.

The counting started…

First up, Bas Richelieu Nicolet Becancour, a place where our organizer Mr. Fiore, said we were “gonna get smacked”. The count went on. By the end, a three way tie emerged between Dion Rae and Ignatieff. After counting the vote again, one Ignatieff was in the Dion pile, and 2 votes separated the top 3 candidates. We got the extra delegate. The day started off well.

3 feet away, my fate was being decided. After a great showing, Ignatieff elected 5 in Abitibi-Temiscamingue, one of which was me. I am officially a Michael Ignatieff delegate to convention. A great feeling of joy swept over me. I will help choose the party’s next leader and the country’s next Prime Minister. I was the first of our youth gang to win election.

I ended up counting 6 ridings this afternoon, some close fights, and some complete sweeps (Montcalm 13 delegates, Manicouagan 11 delegates, St Bruno St Hubert 11 delegates, 12 delegates in Joliette)

While we were deciding one third of the province’s fate, Alex Plante was in his home riding of Brossard La Priarie, taking on Jacques Saada, Chair of the Rae campaign in what was supposed to be Rae’s Fort Knox of Brossard La Prairie. After some hoo-ha of our own in Brossard, the former mayor, Paul Leduc, was at the door shaking hands encouraging supporters to vote Ignatieff. Even Dion got some votes out. In the end, Fort Knox had succumbed, surrendering 5 delegates, 3 to us, 2 to Dion.

My fellow warrior in battle, Alex, had won his delegate spot. The enthusiasm in his voice and the jolt in his energy only serve to inspire the team more. Tomorrow we go back into battle to elect Andrew in Westmount, Marc-Andre in Vaudreuil, Andrea and Gosia in Papineau, and most importantly, Stefan in NDG. (by the way I also have Concordia and Marsha Akman to deal with tomorrow!!!)

It’s 2:30 now and I am exhausted. Ignatieff ends Saturday with 774 delegates. I cannot wait to get up tomorrow morning, the battlefield awaits!