“I’ve had so many people also tell me ‘Thank you for running. You are a face I could relate to.'”
NDP candidate Harmony Johnson-Harder was clearly emotional as she walked into a gathering of her supporters with those in the room chanting her name.
She delivered a speech as approximately 25 people crowded around her.
“What we did here was grow our organization and, my friends, that is exactly what we will do and what we need to do to win the next election,” she said.
“The next election it will be the orange wave.”
Throughout her campaign, Johnson-Harder vowed to be a voice for the marginalized in the city. With her connection to land, she also stood behind a “bold plan” for climate change.
“I’m very honoured to advocate for that plan because it’s the only one that acknowledged Indigenous knowledge and science,” she said.
Johnson-Harder is of a Métis and Cree background.
“I’ve had so many people also tell me ‘Thank you for running. You are a face I could relate to,’ and that’s what’s important. We’ll do it, we’ll make it.”
Speaking with the Daily Herald after her speech, Johnson-Harder said although it may not have been her ideal result, she’s pleased with a “solid second.”
Johnson-Harder received about 18 per cent of the votes in the Prince Albert riding, falling behind the Conservative Party’s Randy Hoback.
Currently, she said she’s leaning towards running again for the NDP in the future, but a lot can change in a few years.
“I know that there’s a lot of committed people who want to see a different Canada, a better Canada and a lot of people really do care and want to have fair and equal opportunity,” she emphasized.
“The past five weeks have been very surreal. I just focused day by day, building relationships with people,” emphasized Johnson-Harder, adding that people now know more about the NDP’s platform.
Johnson-Harder said she advocates for the party’s values for the youth because they’re our future, and that the NDP are what’s best for Prince Albert.
She walked around the room greeting people with a smile on her face, receiving several hugs.
