‘Crunch time’: Poilievre stops in Calgary as federal candidates make final election push

Federal candidates are making their final pitches to Canadians this weekend with highly strategic stops across the country.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre touched down in his hometown Calgary for the first time Friday, running through his greatest hits in front of a crowd estimated by CTV News to be at least 3,000 people.

The PM-hopeful discussed the carbon tax, the so-called “lost liberal decade,” and a plan to get Alberta’s energy out of the ground and to buyers.

He didn’t take questions during the quick one hour rally, but did speak with reporters earlier in Saskatchewan.

His message: Canada cannot afford another Liberal government.

“Everything is at stake,” Poilievre said. “This election is about change: either we’re going to have a fourth Liberal term of skyrocketing costs and crime, where you can’t afford a home and the government shuts down our key industries, weakening us against threats from abroad. We’re running on change.”

The race’s perceived front-runner pushed back against those claims in Ontario Friday.

Mark Carney also spoke about threats from south of the border, promising he’s the candidate that’ll protect the nation’s auto manufacturing and its steel industry.

“This is Canada,” he said, “and we decide what we do here.”

New Nanos polling show Carney’s lead is slightly narrowing, which will no doubt make for an interesting Monday night.

What’s next?

Poilievre is already on the west coast, where he’ll campaign Friday night and early Saturday before heading east and making his way back to Ottawa.

Carney is expected to spend the majority of the last three days in seat-rich Ontario.

And NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh — who notably has not made a stop in Calgary — will fly over the province Saturday on the way to his home riding of Burnaby South.

Local last seconds

The “change” message is one Poilievre will need to resonate on the prairies if he has hope Monday.

The Conservatives hold the majority of the seats in Alberta and Saskatchewan, though some blue strongholds could be in trouble this time around.

Pollsters predict Calgary Centre, Calgary Confederation, Calgary McKnight and Calgary Skyview could all be in play for the Liberals.

Local candidates in those ridings are spending the weekend trying to grab any last second undecided voters.

“Oh my goodness,” Calgary Centre Liberal Lindsay Luhnau said. “I think I’ll just be doing 30 hours of door knocking in the next three days.”

Luhnau will be looking to unseat long-time incumbent Greg McLean.

“The passion we hear from people at the doors and on the phones is incredible. I’ve never seen something like this before in a campaign.”

The NDP’s Beau Shaw is also running in Calgary Centre.

Pollsters don’t like his chances, but Shaw insists it’s not all bad news for his party this time around.

Despite a predicted federal drop in seats, Shaw says there is more organization and enthusiasm in the local NDP campaigns.

“We are out-fundraising every NDP campaign federally in Calgary Centre in the last 15 years,” he told CTV News.

“People are afraid this time, but next time I think we will be outside of a Pierre Poilievre threat, outside of a Donald Trump threat, and people can get back to the values that matter to them.”

Canadians will select their new MPs — and Prime Minister — Monday.