Over the long weekend, Newfoundland and Labrador witnessed active campaigning by three political parties, with a unique focus on different regions. The Liberal Party concentrated its efforts on the Avalon Peninsula, while the Progressive Conservatives led by Tony Wakeham, directed their attention towards the north.
The PCs strategically targeted various communities along the west coast and the Northern Peninsula to make their final appeals before election day, terming this period as the “drive to victory.” PC Leader Wakeham, along with candidate Andrea Barbour, visited Port au Choix and St. Anthony in the St. Barbe-L’Anse aux Meadows district, currently represented by Liberal cabinet minister Krista Lynn Howell.
Despite the PC’s “For All of Us” slogan, events over the weekend mostly attracted seniors and trades workers. At a gathering in the Port au Choix Women’s Institute, fish harvesters raised concerns, to which Wakeham reiterated his pledge to appoint a dedicated fisheries minister.
Continuing their momentum, the Progressive Conservatives skipped the traditional Sunday turkey carving and proceeded with their tour of the Northern Peninsula, including a stop at Northern Boat Repair in Port Saunders. While the party had not introduced any new commitments since unveiling their platform before the leaders’ debate, Wakeham continued to advocate for the construction and maintenance of four ferries in the province, an initiative not yet costed in their platform.
On the final day of campaigning, the PCs made a noteworthy appearance in Port aux Basques, a town untouched by the Liberal Party’s presence. Wakeham and his team later returned to his home district of Stephenville-Port au Port, where they plan to remain on election day for result announcements.
In contrast, Liberal Leader John Hogan expressed confidence in Liberal candidate Michael King for Burgeo-La Poile, despite not physically visiting the district during the campaign. Hogan’s campaign efforts primarily focused on the St. John’s area, with visits to various communities, including Corner Brook, Grand Falls-Windsor, and Lewisporte.
Hogan also collaborated with Liberal candidate Brian Keating for Placentia West-Bellevue, a district the Liberals aim to convert from blue to red. The Liberal campaign emphasized the province’s tentative deal with Quebec regarding power from the Churchill Falls hydroelectric plant, linking it to promises of improved education, infrastructure, and healthcare.
While Hogan highlighted the Churchill Falls agreement throughout the campaign, he downplayed its significance as the primary election issue, referring to it as “an important topic.” In contrast, Wakeham criticized the deal, citing a lack of transparency and oversight by Liberal officials.
As the campaign draws to a close, Hogan will remain in St. John’s to monitor the election results on Tuesday night.