Despite the red and white clappers, the falling balloons and a star appearance by U2 frontman Bono, the feeling at the Liberal leadership convention was somewhat anticlimactic.

"Paul Martin -- It's about time," read one sign on the convention floor. For Martin, it's been about 13 years in the waiting -- since he was last defeated by Jean Chretien for leadership of the party. And he still isn't sure exactly when he'll move into 24 Sussex Drive.

But on Friday night he celebrated his overwhelming win along with thousands of other Liberals, as well as Chretien.

The two sat on either side of the stadium, Aline at Chretien's side, and Sheila at Martin's. In the middle were journalists watching for signs of the well-known rivalry that pushed Chretien to seek a third mandate so Martin's leadership plans were stalled.

Both couples appeared to enjoy the show, which started with Ron Sexsmith, followed up by Canadian Idol contestant Audrey de Montigny. For her, Chretien got to his feet, smiled and clapped -- probably harder than he did for any of Martin's remarks.

Then came what was for some the main attraction -- rock star Bono.

Wearing his trademark blue fly-like sunglasses, Bono said both Chretien and Martin had been very kind to him. "I might be the only thing they can agree on," he said to laughter. He then got serious, urging the Canadian government to dramatically increase its foreign aid contributions to help Africa -- a continent he said was on fire. "Fires tend to spread," Bono warned.

Soon after 8 o'clock, it was time for the main act. Before Martin stepped onto the stage, the Liberals popped in a video about their new leader that showed a relaxed Martin sitting in a leather chair, with a bowl of popcorn in front of him, discussing his vision for Canada.

The video also showed "regular" Canadians talking about how Martin had helped them. One couple from British Columbia, who had lost their home and antique store in a massive forest fire, gave a visiting Martin a horseshoe for good luck for his monumental task ahead.

Martin acknowledged that task in his speech. As if speaking to his late father, Paul Sr. who spent 39 years in politics, he said he will be judged not by today, but by what the Liberal Party does in the future.

"As he is looking down upon us tonight, he is saying -- Paul, this is a big day. But it's not the day. That will come many years hence. When we can say that, yes, the country did aspire to great things - and then we got them done."

Among the crowd of supporters who cheered his promises to better Canada-U.S. relations, keep health care universal, and improve federal-provincial workings, were others who are warning him to create some policy. One of those was Canadian Alliance MP James Moore.

"The Liberals better get in gear because the new Conservative Party is coming and we're going to have a new agenda and a new leader with a tremendous amount of momentum," he told CTV.ca

"And we're going to come forward with an effective policy agenda for Canadians, and the Liberals, if all they're going to do is give platitudes and warm rhetoric and nonsense, they're going to have a real problem in the next campaign."

Moore was also sharply critical of the Liberal decision to prorogue government until Jan. 12. He said it was hypocritical to let legislation die that would have seen generic drugs go to AIDS victims in Africa, and have Bono speak at the convention.

"We could have gotten cheaper drugs to people with AIDS in Africa. We could have done that in one day. But they prorogued the House and played games."

Amid thousands of falling balloons and red and white paper, foreign policy, legislation and the next election appeared far away.

And there are more parties to be had. The next will be in Saskatchewan on Sunday, when the new Liberal leader meets with Canada's premiers in an informal meeting ahead of the Grey Cup game between Montreal and Edmonton.