Toronto Twitter reacts to the U.K.’s decision to leave the European Union
An ocean and several thousand kilometres of land separate Toronto and the United Kingdom, but the implications of the U.K. referendum on its European Union membership were followed closely here—partly for sport, and partly with an eye to possible financial effects on Canada.
As the Brexit polls closed, the mood in Toronto was nervous about which way the vote would swing.
I feel like Canadians should give Europeans tips on coping with referendum stress. Skype & talk you through it? #Brexit
— David Rider (@dmrider) June 23, 2016
As results began to trickle in around 7 p.m. local time, it appeared the Leave campaign had fared better than expected, and the value of U.K. currency fell off a cliff.
I’m not an economist. That good, right? pic.twitter.com/MDli8LuQhd
— Dan Rebellato (@DanRebellato) June 24, 2016
The pound £ #brexit #bremain pic.twitter.com/jvwoLWjbxV
— ブラッド (@Blake3987) June 24, 2016
The sharp plummet in the pound has reinforced my theory that there's a James Bond type villain behind #Brexit
— Andrew Tumilty (@AndrewTumilty) June 24, 2016
I would kill to lose pounds that fast. #brexit #UKIPsWorkoutPlan
— Dani Taylor (@dtayl) June 24, 2016
By 10 p.m. in Toronto, the results were on a knife edge, with neither side clearly winning.
Whoa. This is intense. #Brexit
— Amanda Grant (@amandamgrant) June 24, 2016
#euRef #Brexit with 7 million votes counted: 50-50. Brings back memories of tension watching Quebec '95 referendum. pic.twitter.com/W5dWers857
— Mike Crawley (@CBCQueensPark) June 24, 2016
+250% spike in "what happens if we leave the EU" in the past hourhttps://t.co/9b1d6Bsx6D
— GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) June 24, 2016
Canadians, of course, know all about tight referendums, and minds turned back to the Quebec vote in 1995. (“Quebexit?”)
Woah, the #brexit is literally like the 1995 Québec referendum vote.
— Hervé St-Louis (@ToonDoctor) June 24, 2016
I thought I was going to die knowing that the Quebec referendum would be the closest vote I'd ever witness.
So, thanks #Brexit.
— Adrian O (@NoNickAdrian) June 24, 2016
Memories of Québec in 1995. pic.twitter.com/VABjTebOf7
— Ian Petrie (@icpetrie) June 24, 2016
Seriously. Right down to wondering about size of status quo vote in big metropolis https://t.co/kbGYDuL499
— Martin Patriquin (@MartinPatriquin) June 24, 2016
Watching the #referendum like: pic.twitter.com/11YVOs3InU
— Nikolas Koschany (@pinecoveviii) June 24, 2016
As midnight approached, it became increasingly clear that Leave was heading for victory, and all hell broke loose.
It's like Canada is the concerned child watching her aging mother and weirdo big brother descend into chaos, unsure who to worry over first
— Paige (@PaigeKnorr) June 24, 2016
What a mess.
— ottguy (@ottguy) June 24, 2016
The world looking at the UK like #Brexit #EURef pic.twitter.com/5u4nm6SYMt
— Anne T. Donahue (@annetdonahue) June 24, 2016
Will there be a giant wooshing sound as companies rush through the chunnel to leave London for the continent after #Brexit?
— Dylan Reid (@dylan_reid) June 24, 2016
— (Neville Park1) (@neville_park) June 24, 2016
On the plus side, however, traveling to London just became a whole lot cheaper.
Mark Carney has a tough day ahead.
— Stephen Maher (@stphnmaher) June 24, 2016
The pound is worth a shilling now.
— Shawn Micallef (@shawnmicallef) June 24, 2016
Right around midnight Toronto time, the other shoe fell. The BBC called a Leave victory—52 to 48 percent.
BBC forecasts UK votes to #Leave the European Unionhttps://t.co/itsARDBbYF #EURef #Brexit pic.twitter.com/gASaxpdNi3
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) June 24, 2016
Bill Pullman said it better. And wasn't a fascist scumbag. https://t.co/vQ8Eu3gWsU
— Kath Halloran (@lifeonqueen) June 24, 2016
I'm stunned. I really never thought it'd happen https://t.co/rGUMMkCI9K
— Kaleigh Rogers (@KaleighRogers) June 24, 2016
#Brexit pic.twitter.com/mLztbA4AUN
— Ronan O'Beirne (@rpobeirne) June 24, 2016
can't believe that the only law now is the thunderdome #brexit
— Justin Ling (@Justin_Ling) June 24, 2016
Congratulations to the British people on choosing hope over fear by embracing a confident, sovereign future, open to the world! #Brexit
— Jason Kenney (@jkenney) June 24, 2016
By morning, the far-reaching implications of the decision were becoming clear. U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, who backed Remain, announced his resignation, Scotland made noises about another independence referendum, and Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister announced a possible vote on reuniting Ireland.
More @CBCNews: British pound in freefall, Cameron quits, European leaders reel after #UK votes to leave #EU. https://t.co/iMZEyMlXUN #Brexit
— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) June 24, 2016
Ok. Now I think iTunes is just trolling Brits with tonight's top movie suggestion. #Brexit pic.twitter.com/Mt3B3wP6uv
— Ron Wadden (@Ron_Wadden) June 24, 2016
Whoa here she comes… and looks like she's not for turning #brexit pic.twitter.com/icrKX7AGd3
— Tasha Kheiriddin (@TashaKheiriddin) June 24, 2016
After hearing the results #Brexit pic.twitter.com/xH1kEaUkUE
— Stephanie Renda (@StephRenda) June 24, 2016
This still isn't as bad as when Oasis broke up. #Brexit@NoelGallagher @liamgallagher
— Rick (@Rick_City) June 24, 2016
But, don’t worry, this is Canada.
As world follows #Brexit news with etc. breath, this is the lead "#Canada" story on my Google News page: pic.twitter.com/fjwbtBXElA
— Taras Grescoe (@grescoe) June 24, 2016