People around the world were all glued to the results of the presidential election on Tuesday night and residents of Calgary were no different.
Hundreds of people were gathered at a number of viewing parties across the city.
Most of the gatherings had a mixture of Trump and Clinton supporters on the edge of their seats as the results started coming in.
At the party hosted by Democrats Abroad, there was a definite shift in the mood as the evening progressed. Excitement turned to disappointment when Trump pulled ahead late in the night.
Meanwhile, Trump supporters in Calgary were overjoyed.
“I think he’s going to be very surprising as president,” said Shafer Parker, originally from Texas. “I think they are going to be shocked that he is going to be a really good if not great president. I think he is a man who has grown in a remarkable way.”
Tanner Hansen, a student in the petroleum engineering program at SAIT said that Trump will be good for America.
“I see him creating jobs, cracking down on illegal immigration, really revitalizing the country and really boosting the economy.”
Others at the gathering weren’t as sure about Trump as president.
Archana Raman, originally from New Jersey, said that she was shocked by the results and it’s very possible she would try to extend her work visa into a permanent residency.
“I’m really shocked. I’m really shocked. I have been following this for a while. I’ve been reading in the New York Times for instance they were talking about Hillary taking this in a landslide and that’s not really been happening. I think that there’s been a lot of fear in white middle-class America and Donald Trump has picked up on that and run with that and found a lot of people interested in what he has to say.”
On Wednesday morning, more people expressed trepidation about Trump as president.
"It brings a lot of uncertainty. I don't know what to expect. I watched it with my son last night and just I'm not very happy about it. I don't like what he says. I don't like what he stands for and I think we need better social value in our lives," said one man.
Another man said he doesn't think Trump will be a good president. "I am very disappointed to be honest with you. I didn't think the Americans were going to go that way and they did. It's now a done deal and we have to live with it."
A woman said she is proud to live north of the border.
"I am very proud to be a Canadian today," said a woman. "I am a little intrigued about how things happened and a little disappointed and little concerned. Canada can work with anybody."
As for what the Trump victory means for Canada, a lot of his campaign promises could spell trouble for the country.
He has slammed the North America Free Trade Agreement and vows to dismantle what he called the ‘worst trade deal ever’.
He’s also said that he would take another look at TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline and “cancel” the Paris climate deal that the U.S., Canada and nearly 200 other nations signed last year.
(With files from CTVNews.ca)
