Two separate crowds were waiting when Conservative leader Stephen Harper made a 45 minute afternoon stop in Kingston on April 29. Joining his 300 supporters inside Minos Village Restaurant were around 100 protesters, lined up outside the venue.

Surrounded by his wife Laureen and Conservative candidates Alicia Gordon for Kingston and the Islands, Gord Brown for Leeds and Greenville and Scott Reid for Lanark, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, Harper stressed the urgency of electing a Conservative majority government.

“[This] campaign will determine whether Canada moves forward or if Canada slides back,” Harper said. “[We] cannot go back to another minority government.” Harper outlined his commitment to strengthening the economy through his party’s low tax plan. He said that his Conservative government has and would continue to bring Canada out of the global recession.

“Today our country is moving forward. We are emerging from the global economic recession in a position of economic strength that is the envy of the world,” Harper said to cheers from the audience.

Harper warned against the dangers of a minority government led by his opponents, speaking to the projected spending within the platforms of the Liberals and the NDP.
“We will keep your taxes down. The coalition of the other guys, NDP led, Liberal led, will raise your taxes,” he said.

Those outside the venue waved signs and blew whistles, expressing their dissatisfaction with Harper’s Conservatives. Members of the Kingston Police force were in attendance and prevented protesters from entering the restaurant’s parking lot. At least two individuals were arrested.

Harper’s stop in Kingston was a part of the Tories’ final push to rally voters in key ridings including Montreal, Ajax and Brampton.

“Nothing is decided yet,” Harper said. “Every riding is in play. Every vote counts.”