Notes from the floor

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/10/2009 (5861 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After a slick video featuring John K. Samson, the lead singer of local indy gods The Weakerthans, NDP leadership hopeful Greg Selinger waded through the crowd of supporters shaking hands and accepting hugs, acting every bit the victor though the votes hadn’t been cast.

"My notes said remember to smile, but it’s pretty hard not to with a crowd like this," Selinger said later.

Selinger’s iPod is way cooler: With a little American-style campaign flare, Selinger waded through the crowd to make his speech as U2’s Elevation blared on the speakers. That gave way to a song by The Weakerthans, drawing a few hoots from the hipsters on the convention floor.

Steve Ashton bopped onto the stage to Here for the Party by country-rock vixen Gretchen Wilson. Fitting for a street fighter like Ashton, its refrain goes: "You know I’m here for the party. And I ain’t leavin’ till they throw me out."

His speech finished with Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.

Some Ashton supporters gave out yellow buttons with a car skidding across a road and Selinger’s picture on it with the wording ‘CAUTION Slippery When Premier.’ When Selinger saw the button he shrugged: "People are competitive."