TORONTO – “How the West was won”: all the three leaders of the main parties (main so far for one of them, since the NDP risks being overtaken by the Bloc Quebecois at the federal level) today focused on the West of the country, trying to conquer its votes. 

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre held a press conference in Edmonton, Alberta, promising – if he wins – to “crack down on offshore tax loopholes” and create a website where the federal government could “denounce and shame” tax evaders. But the real news of Poilievre’s election day was the participation of Stephen Harper, Canadian prime minister from 2006 to 2015, in his rally in Edmonton, Tuesday night. Harper told a large crowd of Conservative supporters that Poilievre’s experience, including the time as a cabinet minister in his government, should surpass the “cv” of Liberal leader and Prime Minister Mark Carney, who also served in a senior post as governor of the Bank of Canada during Harper’s tenure. “I am the only person who can say that both of the men running to be prime minister once worked for me,” Harper told the crowd. And in that regard, my choice without hesitation, without equivocation, without a shadow of a doubt, is Pierre Poilievre” Harper told the crowd.

And about Mark Carney, the Liberal leader was in British Columbia where he spoke of the need to “build a lot more homes in Canada. We need to build faster, smarter, with new technology, more Canadian materials and lumber, and more incentives that reduce costs for builders” said Carney who, after stops in Delta and in Richmond, B.C., moved on to Calgary, Alberta.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh was also in British Columbia today, in the Lower Mainland: his promise of the day was to close “loopholes” in the rules to ban foreign home buyers, for example by banning “numbered” companies and corporate proxies from buying homes (the ban would not apply to recreational properties like cottages and cabins). In addition, Singh said, an NDP government would tax as income the profits from the sale of a home sold within five years of the seller’s purchase of the home, unless it is someone’s primary residence. The NDP leader was also scheduled to meet with striking LifeLabs employees and Grand Chief Stewart Philip of the British Columbia Indian Chiefs Union.

The Greens also made headlines today, with co-leader Elizabeth May unveiling the party’s health care platform, which includes implementing universal drug care to cover all prescription drugs and expanding the dental care plan.

Finally, returning to Harper’s endorsement of Poilievre, it is worth noting the lapidary comment of Yves-Francois Blanchet, leader of the Bloc Quebecois: “He should come to Quebec, he could help us”, like saying “good, it will bring us votes in Quebec…” where, probably, Harper was not so loved. And neither does Carney, due to his difficulties with la langue française polemically highlighted by Blanchet himself. The conquest of the East seems an “impossible mission” for anyone who isn’t Quebecois. Better, for everyone else, keep on aiming for the West…

In the pic above, from left: Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and former Prime Minister Stephen Harper (photo: Twitter X @PierrePoilievre)