Chow victorious in Trinity-Spadina

By Chris Dart
(Originally published in The Toronto Observer, Spring 2006)

The third time was the charm for Olivia Chow.

New Democrat Chow won the downtown Toronto riding of Trinity-Spadina, unseating Liberal incumbent Tony Ianno in one of the most hotly contested ridings in the country. The two candidates faced off for the third time; Ianno won in 2004 by just over 800 votes. Although the post-election rallies took place only a short distance apart, they could not have been more different.

The mood at Chow’s victory party was jubilant. Supporters at the packed Guvernment night club cheered every word from Chow and other downtown Toronto New Democrats.

“I will be your voice to make child poverty history … I will join the NDP to give a voice to the voiceless,” Chow said.

The long time Toronto city councillor vowed to be a strong voice for Toronto in Ottawa and thanked the voters of Trinity-Spadina.

“(My supporters) never gave up … They voted with hope and I will be voice of hope in Ottawa” she said.

Chow also made a special point to thank students at the University of Toronto, which sits in her riding. She vowed to fight for affordable tuition and support for students.

At Ianno’s campaign headquarters, the mood was despondent as he announced his defeat, with supporters crying and vowing to take back the riding “next time.” In his concession speech Ianno blamed NDP leader and Chow’s husband Jack Layton for handing the Conservatives a victory.

“Because of the decisions of one person, the Conservatives will form a government,” Ianno said. “He may have won some seats, but Canada has lost.”