With just days until Canadians cast their ballots in the federal election, two national party leaders are turning their attention to London.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and the People’s Party of Canada's (PPC) Maxime Bernier both have scheduled stops in the city on Wednesday.
Singh will hold a meet and greet with supporters outside of the Sweet Onion Bistro in Wortley Village at 11:45 a.m. The bistro is located within the wide-open riding of London-West, which was previously held by Liberal Kate Young. However, Young announced prior to the election call she would not be running again, clearing the path for a fresh face to take over the riding. The NDP's Shawna Lewkowitz, the Liberal's Arielle Kayabaga, the Conservative's Rob Flack, Mike McMullen of the PPC, and Libertarian Jacques Boudreau are all vying for the seat.
Singh's visit to London will follow a planned announcement near a long-term care home in Essex.
Bernier, on a one-day blitz of southwestern Ontario, has a rally planned from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Guy Lombardo Pavilion in Springbank Gardens.
The PPC Leader is making stops in Sarnia, Inwood, and Chatham before arriving in London. Wednesday night, he moves onto Aylmer for another public rally.
Until now, the only federal party leader to visit London during the short election campaign has been the Liberal's Justin Trudeau. He visited the London Brewing Co-op on September 6 where he was hit with a handful of gravel as angry protesters shouted obscenities at him. Shane Marshall, 25, of St. Thomas was later charged with one count of assault with a weapon in connection with the incident. He was also removed from his position as the riding association president for the PPC in Elgin-Middlesex-London.
To date, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole has not paid a visit to London.
