Over the long weekend, Newfoundland and Labrador saw political parties engaging in campaign activities instead of traditional Thanksgiving celebrations. The Liberal Party concentrated on the Avalon Peninsula while the Progressive Conservatives directed their efforts towards northern regions.
Under the leadership of Tony Wakeham, the Progressive Conservatives targeted communities along the west coast and the Northern Peninsula to make their final appeals to voters. Describing this phase as the “drive to victory,” Wakeham, along with PC Leader Andrea Barbour, visited areas like Port au Choix and St. Anthony in the St. Barbe-L’Anse aux Meadows district, currently represented by Liberal minister Krista Lynn Howell.
Campaign events over the weekend attracted a significant number of seniors and trades workers, despite the PC’s “For All of Us” slogan. At a sparsely attended gathering at the Port au Choix Women’s Institute, fish harvesters raised concerns, prompting Wakeham to reaffirm his commitment to appoint a full-time fisheries minister.
The Progressive Conservatives continued their tour of the Northern Peninsula on Sunday, visiting Port Saunders and emphasizing their plan to construct and maintain four ferries in the province, a proposal not yet costed in their platform.
In the final stretch of campaigning before the provincial election, the PCs visited Port aux Basques on Monday, a location the Liberal Party had not yet visited. Wakeham and his team concluded their campaign activities by returning to his home district of Stephenville-Port au Port, where they will await election results on October 14.
Meanwhile, Liberal Leader John Hogan expressed confidence in the Liberal candidate for Burgeo-La Poile, Michael King, despite not personally visiting the district during the campaign. Hogan spent the final week focusing on areas like St. John’s, Corner Brook, Grand Falls-Windsor, and Lewisporte, with efforts to support candidates in various districts.
Throughout the campaign, Hogan highlighted the province’s tentative agreement with Quebec over the Churchill Falls hydroelectric plant, linking it to the Liberal party’s pledges for improved education, infrastructure, and healthcare. While Hogan emphasized the importance of the Churchill Falls deal, he clarified that it is not the sole determining factor for voters in this election.
Hogan plans to conclude his campaign in St. John’s, where he will monitor the election results as they unfold on Tuesday evening.
