If making a good first impression still counts for something, it would appear the Peterborough Federal Liberal Association has hit upon something good in its choice of Emma Harrison as its candidate for the April 28 federal election.
Three days after being acclaimed as the party’s local candidate, Harrison was officially introduced Tuesday (March 25) to the Liberal faithful at the party’s campaign headquarters on King Street in downtown Peterborough.
A broad smile rarely leaving her face, and emotional when referencing her late father, the third-generation Selwyn farmer and small business owner was equal parts resolute and humble as she accepted her nomination before a red-clad crowd hanging onto her every word.
“I’m in this room tonight, and I believe you are as well, because we share a mutual understanding of the critical nature of this election,” said Harrison.
“Not just here in our community, but on a global scale. We, together, believe Prime Minister Mark Carney is the leader we need and deserve in this pivotal moment. That our prime minister will continue to create and build, at a blinding speed, a steadfast emphatically driven mission to protect all Canadians.”
While she avoided any direct references to her major party opponents — incumbent Conservative MP Michelle Ferreri and NDP candidate Heather Ray — Harrison pledged, to the evening’s loudest cheer, to “restore the honour of being called a Member of Parliament.”
“I will listen; I will build bridges,” added Harrison, but added the disclaimer “Do not be fooled. While I am very kind, empathetic, smiley, maybe even described as bubbly, I am not to be trifled with.”
“I stand firmly on my moral convictions and values. I am not easily swayed. I’m excited to show you that. All my life experiences have led me to this moment and to be the leader that we need in this time.”
Turning to her motivation for allowing her name to stand as the Liberal candidate, Harrison, who is married with three young children, said it’s rooted in her desire to pay back the “enormous support” she received as a high school student, as a local and national women’s lacrosse team member, and, since 2021, when she and her husband assumed full-time operation of the family farm.
Taking time to acknowledge and thank her campaign team, led by campaign manager Andy Mitchell, a former Liberal cabinet minister, Harrison said “I adore the saying ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.'”
While her campaign is but a few days along, Harrison noted some 300 volunteers have signed on to help, and donations totalling $30,000 have come in.
After Harrison closed by promising to “to work my ass off” over the course of the campaign, her audience erupted into a rousing rendition of “O Canada.”
Later, Harrison told kawarthaNOW she was “overwhelmed” by reception she received.
While she’s only just started canvassing, Harrison says many she has met have expressed concerns about the future of the Canadian Dental Care Plan. The ruling Liberals have said if re-elected, plan coverage will be expanded to include those under 65 years old. The Conservatives have indicated, to this point, those who now have coverage won’t lose it.
“I talked to one dentist and they’ve seen more than a thousand patients who wouldn’t be able to have had dental work done if they hadn’t been under the plan,” she said.
That said, Harrison noted the U.S. tariffs threat and the Trump administration’s continued talk of Canada becoming the 51st state “is really the biggest concern on most people’s minds. What does that mean moving forward? What does that look like for our community?”
“We need strong, fierce leaders with an incredible amount of compassion and empathy for people; and who understand the issues our community is facing. Those issues aren’t going to be removed just because of these bigger threats from the United States. We need someone who is very attuned to local needs and issues.”
“People have also been asking about the divide between rural and urban. The truth is that people who are rural use all of the major services in Peterborough. The truth is we’re one unit, and we rely on the services of both the rural and the urban. It’s a whole riding approach, and we need to focus on how we create stability for those services.”
Among those in the crowd was Jim Patterson, a local Liberal election campaign veteran of some 25 years.
After hearing Harrison’s remarks, he assessed “This young lady is going to really make a mark.”
“She’s smart. She’s dedicated. She’s a mother. She’s a farmer. She’s educated. She checks a lot of boxes. We’ve worked with some winners, and I think we’ve got a winner here.”
Asked what has impressed him most from what he heard, Patterson was quick to answer.
“Genuine, genuine, genuine. I’m not going to make comparisons (to other candidates), but we need genuine.”
When pressed over the fact that Conservative candidates typically do well in rural areas while Liberals are strong amongst urban voters, Patterson maintained Harrison can make gains outside the boundaries of the city.
“She has to sell herself to the rural community as being one of them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jessica Correa said her concerns over American threats to Canada have left her “very fired up,” prompting her to become actively involved in an election campaign for the first time.
“I don’t want to be a bystander this time,” she said, adding “I’m tired of the things I’ve heard from our MP.”
“There’s two times in my life that brought me to tears — when my husband became a Canadian citizen last year and tonight was the second time,” she said, referring to the crowd’s spontaneous singing of the national anthem.
“We all feel what’s happening down south. We’re all feeling anxious and concerned. We want to fight back and make sure Canada stays a sovereign nation, so elbows up. That’s why I’m here tonight.”
As for Harrison, Correa said “We need to hear more from her, but it’s a good start.”
