Mayoral hopefuls make their case at ByWard Market tavern

Mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper speaks during an event at the Dominion Tavern in the ByWard Market on Wednesday. Photo by Spencer Colby /Postmedia

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During an election campaign that’s largely unfolding on social media, it was refreshing to see a handful of candidates rub shoulders in real life with the down-to-earth folks who frequent the Dominion Tavern.

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“We’re putting the Dom in democracy,” declared Slo’ Tom, a.k.a. Tom Stewart, a guitar-playing singer-songwriter who’s been a fixture of the Ottawa music scene for decades, and has never been afraid of poking fun at authority.

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It was his idea to issue an open invitation to the 14 hopefuls vying to be the next mayor of Ottawa to the Dom during the bar’s regular Wednesday gig, dubbed the Liquid Picnic, and give each one of them a few minutes at the microphone between songs.

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The Liquid Picnic is a weekly after-work shindig that features the rollicking Ottawa Valley-inspired tunes of Stewart and his latest group, a trio called the Lockmasters. It generally attracts a colourful cast of regulars, plus a friendly dog named C.C. the Wonder Dog who’s never far from Stewart. Bonus points, too, for the free tubs of unshelled peanuts on the tables and the hardcore band from Europe setting up for the next show.

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Ottawa-based traditional three-piece combo band The Lockmasters perform during an election campaign event for mayoral candidates at the Dominion Tavern in the ByWard Market on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. Photo by Spencer Colby /Postmedia

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As it turned out, just one of the four men considered serious contenders showed up — Jeff Leiper — while the three others sent their regrets, citing previous commitments. Of the ten who round out the field, five brave souls found their way downtown.

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In light of the ByWard Market’s reputation as a crime-ridden public-safety risk, Stewart made a big deal of thanking each one for their courage in venturing to the heart of the district.

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“Thank you for braving the ByWard Market. This is already a million times better than I thought it would be,” he said with glee.

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The band, which also included live wire Rob ‘Chops’ Snasdell on acoustic bass and newly retired Keith Snider on fiddle (filling in for regular fiddler Natalie Cross), set the tone with their catchy signature tune, Old Canal, written to mark the 200th anniversary of the Rideau Canal. The singalong ballad pays tribute to the more than 1,000 workers who died during its construction.

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“Say a prayer to those who died,” the musicians sang, along with most of the people in the bar, “and raise a glass to Colonel By.” We did as instructed in toasting the founder of the nation’s capital.

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Ottawa-based traditional three-piece combo band The Lockmasters perform during an election campaign event for mayoral candidates at the Dominion Tavern in the ByWard Market on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. Tom Stewart, the band’s leader, is seen at left in red and black. Photo by Spencer Colby /Postmedia

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Every three or four songs, Stewart handed the mic to a prospective mayor, who made their individual points with varying degrees of effectiveness. Leiper, the most polished and comfortable on the mic, promised to “turbo charge” the city’s music strategy and keep fostering a vibrant culture, a path he started during his years as Kitchessippi councillor.

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He also gave a shout-out to Stewart for doing his part to entertain the city, and promised to keep helping creative folks if he makes it back to city hall. “I cannot think of a calling that is more important than helping out people like Tom,” Leiper said.