Though Barack Obama appears to have an edge in the U.S. presidential election, the outcome is still far from certain, with John McCain hoping for an upset.
If the election was being held here in Canada though, Obama would be putting the finishing touches on his victory speech - a recent poll suggests a whopping 85 per cent of Canadians would cast a ballot for Barack.
CityNews was out surveying people enjoying the unseasonably warm November day at Yonge Dundas Square who'd they'd vote for, and not one McCain supporter could be found.
"I want to support someone who's actually going to do something for the States, and possibly internationally as well," explained Mahbod Arei, gesturing to his shirt, adorned with an image of Obama.
Another woman, Jill Mason, noted, "A younger person in (with) fresh ideas. I think it's about time we had either the lady president or the black president. I think it would be great."
And one young woman mused, "With race as well it's going to be a test to see if America's ready."
Some are interested observers. But Lincoln Alexander has lived the life. The former MP and Lt. Governor can hardly believe Obama is the front runner.
"Sixty years ago they were hanging black people down in Mississippi, Georgia because they wanted to vote. It's ironic. Now here he is," he muses.
"I was on my scooter this afternoon driving up and down Main Street in Hamilton. I must have been stopped by about 20 people, white, black, yellow, brown, a whole bunch. 'Hey, we're all for Obama.'
"This guy, he looks like a president. He walks like a president. He talks like a president and he's articulate and he has a vision. It's time for a change. And the people believe him."
You may not be able to vote, but you can definitely party with the best of them. There are a number of public events taking place in T.O., turning the election into almost something akin to a sporting event.
It definitely appears that most of the big parties favour an Obama victory. There are a plethora of gatherings celebrating what many see as a sure win by the Democrats but
CityNews was only able to locate one major meeting of local Republicans who hope to get together to toast a McCain-Palin upset.
Here's the list:
Now Magazine is celebrating the democratic process at the
Bloor Cinema at
506 Bloor St. W., with results projected on the movie screen and a prize for the best Sarah Palin look-alike. It's free if you're a member of the cinema but $3 if you're not.
A group called
Canada Votes Obama is holding a bash at Wayne Gretzky's at
99 Blue Jays Way. Just don't expect it to be a partisan event.
Speaking of partisans, the Democrats Abroad Toronto chapter is holding a "Goodbye To Bush" party starting at 6:30pm at the
Plaza Flamingo Restaurant at
423 College St. near Bathurst. A $25 charge gets you food and a good seat to watch the returns come in.
Spacing Magazine, a small Toronto publication, is planning to hold an
impromptu gathering at Dundas Square if Obama wins. They're waiting for the first election returns to declare the Democratic candidate a winner before starting their gathering.
Obamamania is holding a party at the
Harlem Restaurant at
67 Richmond St. E. starting at 7pm. It's $20 to get in.
Republicans Abroad are hoping McCain surprises the pundits and winds up winning the night. They'll be at a free event at the Lone Star Texas Grill at
200 Front St. W. near Simcoe. They'd prefer an
email in advance if you're coming.
How the Canadian and American electoral processes differ