Conservative leader Andrew Scheer rallied his supporters and candidates in the Fraser Valley with an appearance in Langley Friday evening.
Langley Aldergrove candidate Tako Van Popta introduced Scheer at an event that saw hundreds of people packed into Krause Berry Farms in the North Otter area.
Hours after unveiling the Conservatives’ platform, Scheer talked up campaign promises such as cutting GST from home heating bills.
“I’m going to bring in a tax cut for everyone,” he said.
Scheer also talked about other tax credits, including those for youth sports, included in his party’s platform.
He spent a good portion of his speech criticizing Liberal leader Justin Trudeau.
“Under Justin Trudeau, Canada is becoming a country of ‘no,'” Scheer said, also jabbing at Trudeau and his “trust fund buddies” while saying the Conservatives will stand up for middle class people.
With the Liberals and the Conservatives in a dead heat in recent polls, Scheer didn’t spend any time talking about NDP leader Jagmeet Singh or Green Party leader Elizabeth May.
He defended “firearms owners” and said a Conservative government would go after gangsters.
With 10 days left until the Oct. 11 election, and early voting already underway, Scheer encouraged supporters to campaign.
“This election is going to come down to every last riding and every last poll,” said Scheer.
Scheer’s visit to Langley is the first by any party leader during an election campaign in many years.
With Langley-area ridings having been won by Conservative or Reform MPs since the mid-1970s, the Conservatives typically haven’t bothered to shore up support, while no other party has wanted to spend time on a riding that was a slim chance to win at best.
