By Cecilia Nasmith
Port Hope's Beamish House patio rocked with cheers shortly after polls closed on election night and incumbent David Piccini walked in.
And as he stopped here and there to accept congratulations, campaign lead Tory Pearson climbed atop the specially decorated picnic table to announce that CBC had just called the Northumberland-Peterborough South riding for him.
About 15 minutes later, the re-elected Progressive Conservative Party candidate climbed the table to express his thanks.
“I can't believe this result today,” he shouted.
“Thank you for believing in my, for trusting in me and our party.”
Piccini said Ontario is on the path for a more prosperous, more sustainable future.
“We want to make the investments to unlock the potential of our next generation,” he said.
Thanking his family, his fiancee and his campaign team, he pointed to some impressive achievements, such as raising an “historic amount” for the campaign of half a million dollars (half of which was raised in the Northumberland-Peterborough South riding).
He also said they'd had the best get-out-the-vote campaign in Eastern Ontario, not to mention “painting the riding blue” with campaign signs.
The government doesn't create jobs, Piccini said. It creates the conditions that create them.
“It's the honour of a lifetime representing you at Queen's Park,” he stated.
“We have a majority government as a result of each and every one of you.”
People in the crowd wearing Team Piccini T-shirts expressed delight at the evening's outcome. One Port Hope resident said he'd been impressed with Piccini ever since he knocked at the door in the 2018 campaign and always enjoyed the chance to hear him speak.
“Of course, I've been a Conservative all my life,” he added.
An Ottawa friend of Piccini's (also wearing the shirt) said he had come for the occasion because he'd known him for many years and wanted to show his support.
“He's the hardest-working man out there,” the friend declared.
