Harper Rallies the Troops at a Mississauga BBQ

| |
Related articles: Canada > National

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was at a BBQ in Mississauga on Monday to rally Conservative Party loyalists and repeat his charge to Stephen Dion’s Liberals that they have continued to bluff on calling an election.

About a thousand people turned up to listen to the Prime Minister recount his government’s successes and voice his support for Robert Dechert, the party’s hope for the Mississauga-Erindale riding currently held by Liberal Omar Alghabra.

Besides cracking jokes about Dion’s Green Shift tax plan (which Harper described as a “green shaft” tax grab), the PM lauded his government’s efforts to bring down taxes, rebuild Canada’s armed forces, tackle crime and keep the economy stable.

“Canada is strong, Canada is independent and Canada is back,” called out the PM to enthusiastic applause.

Harper also derided Dion for continuing to threaten an election and then avoiding opportunities to topple the minority Conservatives, which Harper said had become the longest lasting minority government in Canada’s history. At the end of July, Harper said Dion should either “fish or cut bait” and accused the opposition leader of doing everything possible to “slow the business of Parliament.”