No, it was not the same this time as Anthony Rota walked into the Davedi Club just before 1 a.m. on Tuesday morning after securing a sixth term as Nipissing-Timiskaming's MP.
"It is an honour that the people of Nipissing-Timiskaming have returned me to the seat as MP and I look forward to the next few years," said Rota who arrived with his wife Chantal and communications manager Matthew Sookram.
"I asked them to send the most experienced person, the person who will best represent them in Ottawa and I am honoured that they chose me."
By publication time Rota had secured 15,325 votes through 178 of 191 polls in the riding. CTV News named him the winner just before midnight.
Conservative candidate Steve Trahan had 13,427 votes; nearly 1900 behind the longtime Liberal.
Exhausted and ecstatic, Rota admitted it was an unusual campaign with very little controversy on the local front in what has been likely the quietest federal campaign in the riding's history.
"It was definitely the strangest campaign I have ever been a part of," admitted Rota.
"When you look at how it started with the COVID-19 fourth wave kind of starting and people kind of holding back and no big visits, the crowds were not there because we all wanted to be careful so as far as campaigns go it was certainly unique."
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Rota believes the COVID-19 election campaign was worth it despite the fact that the Liberals will continue on as a Minority Government.
He believes the election confirmed the country wanted another minority government that he hopes will work together this time.
"The opposition was blocking bills, the government was trying to get things through and being stopped, and basically grinding with the opposition parties," said Rota who was in the middle of many of those disputes as Speaker of the House.
"Hopefully, all sides will come together, work well together so that we can go forward and do what is right for all Canadians and do what is best for all Canadians."
Rota, who arrived to a crowd of fewer than 40 supporters at the Davedi Club, admitted he had not spoken to any of his competitors yet but thanked them for their efforts with their respective parties.
The 60-year-old fell by a mere 18 votes to Conservative candidate Jay Aspin back in 2011, but rolled over the opposition in the fall of 2019 by claiming more than 50 percent of the popular vote and overwhelmed his Conservative counterpart by 10,961 votes.
Rota says he looks forward to helping get the economy back on track along with the social programs that the constituents want in the riding.
