Calgary

Matt Masters Burgener rides a horse in bid to unseat Stephen Harper

The NDP candidate in Calgary Heritage, already an internet darling for his inventive tactics in his bid to unseat Stephen Harper, staged another attention-getter on Friday — this time on horseback.

NDP challenger's campaign has become known for unconventional tactics

Calgary Heritage NDP candidate Matt Masters Burgener got on a horse Friday for a ride around the riding, his latest in a string of unusual campaign tactics in his bid to win the prime minister's seat. (Evelyne Asselin/CBC)

The NDP candidate in Calgary Heritage, already an internet darling for his inventive tactics in his bid to unseat Stephen Harper, staged another attention-getter on Friday — this time on horseback.

Burgener saddled up at South Glenmore Park Friday morning and set off for a ride around the riding.

"If Stephen Harper wants to distract the electorate with the niqab 'issue' then I have no problem donning my cowboy gear and doing the same by riding the riding talking with voters," he said in a release.

Earlier in the race, Burgener launched a handwritten "Send Harper a Message" sign campaign, allowing voters to scribble their own thoughts on signs placed around the riding.

A brief controversy erupted when many of the signs disappeared. It turned out Calgary bylaw officials, who didn't realize they were legitimate election signage, had confiscated them. 

The campaign followed up this month with a deceptively simple video that went viral, reaching nearly 200,000 people in three days.

In it, Burgener holds up signs, dropping them one by one in allusion to Bob Dylan's famous Subterranean Homesick Blues music video.

Burgener is a country musician and son of two-term Alberta PC MLA Jocelyn Burgener.

Also running in the riding are Liberal candidate Brendan Miles and Kelly Christie of the Green Party.