-by Jon Farmer
October 19th might have changed Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound's definition of feeling the blues. While the Blue Jays ran 11 players home to beat the Royals, the local Conservatives delivered over 25,600 voters to the polls. Larry Miller won a fifth mandate as our member of parliament, beating his nearest rival – Kimberley Love of the Liberal Party – by more than 2,400 votes.
By the time I arrived at Miller's campaign headquarters the room was crowded and already buzzing with the excitement of victory. Supporters dressed overwhelmingly in blue laughed, chatted, and snacked while two televisions flashed live election coverage from across the country. Local reporters filtered between the media room and Mr. Miller's office, asking questions and typing with the focus of impending deadlines. CBC had just declared Miller the winner but the national media were only confirming what Miller supporters already knew. Inside the office three walls were hung with poll results reported by party scrutineers, winners circled to show that blue had brought it home once again.
I watched from the centre of the room as Miller and his wife emerged from his personal office shaking hands and smiling with supporters. The man beside me noticed I was with the media. He introduced himself as a long-time friend of Miller's. Their children had gone to school together. "You'll never see a more hardworking, trustworthy, or honest man" he told me, gesturing to Miller. "If I was in Afghanistan, he's the guy I'd want in my fox hole". We chatted about fiscal policy while joyful supporters circled Miller. Eventually he picked up a bottle of champagne from the bar set up beside his office and asked a nearby volunteer to get everyone's attention.
The room turned away from the television and voices hushed lingering conversations. Miller acknowledged that someone had declared him the winner and popped the champagne cork into the ceiling above him. The crowd applauded, someone yelled "we love you Larry" , and chants of "Larry, Larry, Larry" filled the room. Miller kissed his wife and began his speech. After thanking his campaign team and supporters for their many donations of money, time, and effort, Miller said that this had been the dirtiest campaign he had ever been in.
In 2011 Miller won by nearly 20,000 votes. That his margin of victory narrowed in 2015 reflects many factors including widespread criticism of Conservative policies, scandals, and a strengthened national push to 'Heave Steve' by strategic voting. Locally, efforts to unite the comparatively left wing parties were informed by two crowd funded polls, the most recent of which was sponsored primarily by members of a Facebook group called 'Anyone But Miller'. Miller told the crowd that during the previous week some supporters had let him know they were voting Conservative specifically to counteract the 'bullying' by strategic voters. "I wanna thank the Anyone But Miller group for motivating people to vote for me" he told the room. When the laughter subsided Miller admitted that this campaign had left him, his team, and his family drained. He thanked his campaign manager and shot two more champagne corks over the crowd. Whatever fatigue Miller felt was not evident under the excitement bubbling through him like the spirits in the glasses he handed to volunteers.
Both the Green and NDP candidates made appearances shortly after Miller's speech. He shook hands and smiled with each of them, chatting briefly while supporters interrupted with congratulations and good nights. Neither of the other candidates stayed long but the celebration didn't miss them.
When the House of Commons reconvenes it will be shaded a new colour of red but in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound our polls came in blue. Despite the national change, for the crowd of supporters at Larry Miller's campaign office election night obviously felt like a hard fought win for the home team.
