By Pepper Parr
January 13th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Karina Gould Burlington MP
If there was any doubt that Karina Gould would be able to hold the Burlington seat in the next federal election they were dispelled when a standing room only crowd showed attended her 10th Annual New Year Levee.
Two things were taking place – First, Gould was making sure her constituents were happy and that her seat was safe.
And at the same time measuring the support she might have if she decides to enter the race for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Burlington’s MP serving as Prime Minister? Could happen. But that is just a part of what took place Sunday afternoon.
The room was packed – standing room only.
Police presence was significant but for the most part unseen.
Security was tight but not that visible. There were at least three and maybe four plain-clothes police officers in the room, one stationed on each side constantly scanning the crowd and speaking into their sleeves to communicate with each other.
During a scrum after the close to two hour event Gould, when asked about the security, told the Gazette that it is something politicians have to deal with. She doesn’t like it but realizes it is necessary and lives with it.
As a Cabinet Minister Gould has access to a significant number of people who can help with making sure constituency events run smoothly.
A white feather ceremony xx
While Gould handled the event the way a practiced and focused politician should she didn’t take any questions from the large audience. She did mingle for quite a while after the event but we didn’t see anyone asking her tough questions.
Gould is the mother of two children, one very young, the other attending school. Her husband does much of the child caring but don’t for a second think that her children are not a huge part of her life. For the most part her family is a private matter.
During the Levee Gould awarded King Charles III Coronation medals to several people including David Vollick, the Town Crier, who also read a statement while he rang his bell
White Feather dusted Gould with a white feather to brush away the evil spirits, calypso music was played frequently during the event which kept a number of people swaying to the music.
Gould revealed the results of the 2025 calendar competition that grade 5 students took part in More than a dozen students, dressed in their very best with proud parents watching while the pages of the calendar were displayed.
Plenty in the way of snacks – some made a lunch out of the goodies.
Gould covered every base and then some. There was coffee, tea, hot chocolate, lemon water and cookies galore. Several of the early birds appeared to be making the snacks their lunch.
Five of the seven city council members attended: Stolte and Kearns found something else to do.
It was a happy event – it ran smoothly and left the people that came pleased as the headed home.
Representation from a Burlington cultural group was part of the Levee.
Noted was that Goud didn’t once mention the name Justin Trudeau.
Karina Gould was very close to Justin Trudeau; that should not be taken to mean she subscribes to all his policies. She is her own person; very disciplined and very focused. She is much more than the pleasant mother of two who is Burlington’s Member of Parliament.
Let’s do some math here.
I count 11 seats per row, I’m assuming you stood against the wall to get as many people as possible in the picture, presumably there are no seats behind you.
I count 6 rows of seats. Let’s call it 10 rows just for fun. So 10 x 11 is 110 people, plus say another 20 standing, so my conservative estimate is 130 people on a Sunday afternoon in January, of which 50% or more look of retirement age (I’m of that demographic, it a great life)
In Burlington she will need about 32,000 votes.
I can now see how this is a slam dunk as she only needs 32,000 -130=31,870 more supporters.
Math does not lie and is completely nonpartisan.
A suggested alternate title, “MP Hires Small Room, Fills with Retiree’s on January Afternoon – Riding Wave Back to Ottawa”.
Lol. I was going to post, ‘The crowd will vote for Karina, if they are still alive by October’ I’m also in that demographic; Glad you went first.
Editor’s note: Are we being told that the two of you will be gone by October?
Not a chance, maybe she should run for Mayor.
Interesting that Karina Gould is able to host puff-piece political events at the Art Gallery of Burlington. When I asked to host a “Meet and Greet” earlier this fall while running for the Conservative nomination, they very bluntly turned me down (same with Central Library, despite multiple KG events there, too). “No political events” they told me, apparently. Except perhaps if you are the incumbent Liberal MP. Why the unequal treatment of Conservatives vs. Liberals by supposedly non-partisan institutions? Time to FIRE THE GATEKEEPERS! This article makes me sick.
OUR Mayor is Liberal and controls the narrative
As a cabinet member she supported a massive increase in immigration which created a massive rise in home prices and a shortage of new housing stock.This also created a stress on the heath care system and an increase in crime .All of them need to go!
“Karina Gould was very close to Justin Trudeau; that should not be taken to mean she subscribes to all his policies.” A bit of revisionism here, Pepper. In 9 years of following Karina as Burlington’s MP, I can’t find a single insistence of her not supporting every lie, incident of corruption, or numerous examples of fiscal and economic incompetence. Perhaps you can enlighten us when she didn’t support his policies.
Editor’s note: Given that you are working from what you describe as “every lie, incident of corruption, or numerous examples of fiscal and economic incompetence” it is going to be difficult to have a civil conversation with you.
Hear hear.
Finally a great and honest assessment of a person of high integrity whose caretaking and loyalty makes her excellent representation of Burlington isecond to none.
I have to ask, how one can come to the conclusion Karina Gould will “hold” her seat because of partisan turnout at the Levee. Using that logic and as earler reported by the Gazette, Emily Brown packed the convention centre and won the nomination and therefor will take the seat. If Gould is going to run for leader, she forgot to tell CTV, or they did not bother to mention her.
Editor’s note: The Emily Brown event was a nomination meeting – basically only open to members of the Conservative party.
The Gould event was a wide open public event. If you are relying upon CTV for your news – you have my sympathies.
Sympathies accepted, I may need to vet what outlets I rely upon for news or amusement.
P.s. dollars to donuts my guess over 90 % of levee attendees were Liberal. I know of one citizen who joined the CPC only to have the opportunity to choose the next leader of the CPC.