British Columbia

On final day of campaign, party leaders square off in Metro Vancouver

The contenders in Monday's federal election are out today staging one final, frantic barrage of sales pitches before voters go to the polls, and they're doing it in and around Vancouver, where a host of seats are still up for grabs.

Justin Trudeau, Andrew Scheer, Jagmeet Singh and Elizabeth May all are in B.C. this weekend

Left to right, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press, Rebecca Cook, Chris Wattie, Carlos Osorio/Reuters)

In less than 24 hours, it will be up to Canadians — but until then, the leaders vying for votes are making one last plea for unity behind their parties after a divisive campaign.

The contenders in Monday's federal election are out today staging one final, frantic barrage of sales pitches before voters go to the polls, and they're doing it in and around Vancouver, where a host of seats are still up for grabs.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer kicked off his day in Stanley Park, touting what he called his party's "positive" campaign, before visiting a number of local ridings, culminating in a rally at a hotel near the city airport.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is also on the West Coast, staging visits with voters and candidates at a blistering pace to show the party is taking nothing for granted.

Watch: Scheer warns against Liberal-NDP coalition

Scheer stays on message track for last day of campaign

5 years ago
Duration 1:01
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer stuck to his campaign message about affordability and repeated his claim that the NDP and Liberals would form a coalition in a minority parliament.

Speaking to supporters, Trudeau called on voters to unite behind the Liberals, particularly in his home province of Quebec, by raising the spectre of separatism should the Bloc Québécois have a large haul of seats.

"Canadians need to come together," Trudeau said.

"The Bloc Québécois came out and said its No. 1 priority is separation, is dividing the country once again."

Speaking to reporters in Laval, Que., Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet called the Liberal leader a liar — a comment made before Scheer also took aim at Blanchet over Quebec separatism.

Blanchet said separatism wasn't a priority for his party, nor was a referendum on the matter imminent.

Watch: Trudeau warns of Conservative cuts

Trudeau makes final pitch to voters

5 years ago
Duration 1:57
On the final day of the campaign Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau says Canadians should elect a progressive government, warns against Conservative cuts.

No regrets

The NDP's Jagmeet Singh, before mainstreeting in Vancouver and Surrey, B.C., said that any divisions in the country were a result of economic insecurity, exacerbated by the policies of successive Conservative and Liberal governments.

The NDP leader suggested his party's platform commitments would bridge any divides when asked about specific actions he would take to bring the country together if elected prime minister after Monday's vote.

Watch: Singh encourages engagement

Singh speaks about youth engagement

5 years ago
Duration 0:47
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says during the campaign he has focused on reaching out to youth voters on different platforms.

"All these worries and fears create division, or worries and fears allow others to come in and to divide us based on things that are not the reason for the problems," he said.

"I believe we can build a unified country if people see justice in their lives, if they see affordability in their lives, if they see child care and a health-care system and housing that is affordable, that is there for them."

He also said he had no regrets about the campaign.

'Marred by dishonesty'

Green Leader Elizabeth May, who was also focusing on her home territory of B.C., made a plea to voters with a pledge to reform the voting system — something the Liberals promised in 2015, but ditched after a series of parliamentary and political missteps.

May was also heavily critical of what she called "dirty smears" from other parties, and the New Democrats in particular.

Watch: May wants end to first-past-the-post

May says 2019 should be last election under first-past-the-post

5 years ago
Duration 1:11
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May pitches electoral reform on the last day of the campaign.

She said she believed she had a good relationship with Singh — May decided not to run a Green candidate in a byelection that gave the NDP leader a seat in the House of Commons — but that now appears to be in tatters.

"I didn't think that this election would be so marred by dishonesty," she said.

"Now all the media is covering this now that this was a dirty election and that people lied."

People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier wraps up his campaign in his Quebec riding of Beauce.