Yasir Naqvi claims victory in Ottawa Centre
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With 73 per cent of polls reporting, Naqvi was winning 62 per cent of the vote. NDP candidate Joel Harden trailed in a distant second with 19 per cent and Conservative candidate Paul D'Orsonnens was in third with 16 per cent of the vote. Green candidate Amanda Rosenstock had 1 per cent.
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Cheers erupted at Naqvi's election-night party at Beyond the Pale brewery in Centretown as Naqvi took his early lead. Time to Win by Canadian alt-pop band Down With Webster briefly played and the mood at the brewery turned jubilant as positive Liberal results keep rolling in.
Speaking to a room of his supporters, Naqvi thanked volunteers for their work on his campaign, as well as his family. He then thanked Harden for his public service.
'We know he cares about our community, he's worked hard, and it was a fair and thoughtful debate and conversation in this election,' Naqvi said. 'I wish him the best.'
Naqvi said the work of 'fighting for our country' begins now.
'You've got my word that I will always stand up for Canada,' he said. 'I will always make sure we will never be the 51st state. We will always be Canada. True north, strong and free.'
Naqvi's family emigrated from Pakistan when he was young, and he called himself an adopted son of Canada.
'I take that responsibility very seriously, and I will always fight for my country,' he said.
While this federal election was largely dominated by U.S. President Donald Trump's threats of annexing Canada, Naqvi said he will also focus on local concerns, including affordability and the housing crisis.
Many of his campaign staffers and volunteers donned jersey-like t-shirts with 'Never 51' splashed across the back, a reference to Trump's threats to make Canada an American state.
Meanwhile, at Harden's watch party, a large crowd of supporters gathered at Eggspectation, a downtown diner that usually closes at 3 p.m. Orange, blue, and pink balloons bobbed gently above the booths, and caught the soft glow of the overhead lights of the rustic dinner.
'The NDP is a family. We are with you. It doesn't matter what happened with the polls tonight, we're gonna be the official opposition in the city,' Harden told cheering supporters.
'Anybody getting an elected job in this city better know that they have to listen to organized democrats all around the city.'
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The race has been a rematch of the 2018 provincial election, which saw Naqvi ousted by Harden in a heated campaign.
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Historically, Ottawa Centre has long been a Liberal-NDP battleground, but in recent months, poll aggregator 338.com consistently predicted a Liberal win, calling the riding as 'safe' for the Grits in the run-up to Monday night.
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Before Naqvi was elected to the federal seat in 2021, he had represented the riding in the provincial legislature from 2007 until 2018, and was an international trade lawyer before that.
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Harden left his seat in the provincial legislature to try oust Naqvi a second time. The NDP's Catherine McKenney was won the seat in the recent provincial election.
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Ed Broadbent and Paul Dewar, two NDP heavyweights, held the riding back-to-back for more than a decade before Justin Trudeau's red wave swept the country in 2015. The Liberals have held the seat federally since then.
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