With Tory sweep not guaranteed, Carney and Singh have eyes on Sask.

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For a few hours this week, Saskatoon was the centre of Canada’s political universe.

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Liberal Party Leader Mark Carney and federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh both made their pitch to Saskatchewan voters personally. The two party leaders each made stops in Saskatoon to speak to supporters, as polling shows the Liberals in particular picking up steam in the province.

Here are a few key takeaways from their first visit each to Saskatchewan during the current federal campaign …

CARNEY DRAWS SUPPORTERS, HECKLERS

Carney drew somewhere between 800 and 1,200 people on Wednesday to Remai Modern. An overwhelming majority were supporters, anxious to hear his messaging on how Canada should fight back against U.S. tariffs and become an energy superpower. Carney was, however, interrupted at one point when two young men — each appearing to be barely of voting age — yelled about Canada becoming the United States’ 51st state. After their heckles were drowned out by Carney supporters and they were led away by security, Carney told the crowd the U.S. president’s talk about Canada become a state cannot simply be dismissed.

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“They want us to be the 51st state, they want to break us,” he said.

Shortly after, Carney was interrupted by pro-Palestine protesters calling the situation in Gaza a “genocide.”

“I heard you, I heard you,” he told them.

“I’ve come a long way, these people have waited a long time, and I would like to speak.”

The Liberal party leader said his plan to fight back against American tariffs includes taking the U.S. to court and imposing counter tariffs to make the country pay an economic cost.

“We’re going to fight, we’re going to protect, we’re going to build,” he said.

SINGH MAKES TWO SASKATOON STOPS

Jagmeet Singh spoke to supporters Wednesday night at the campaign office of Saskatoon West candidate Rachel Loewen Walker. In the packed office space, Singh touched on a number of his party’s pledges to support workers.

Singh was critical of Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre and his pledges to cut spending, and also levelled criticism at Carney for not supporting pharmacare expansion.

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The NDP leader said the federal government tends to function well when one party does not hold all the power. He said his party has also helped push forward important policies and decisions.

“The best things that have ever come out of our parliament have been when New Democrats have been there,” said Singh, who on Thursday morning in Saskatoon spoke at Kinsmen Park and then met with Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations leaders.

Singh warned that Carney’s plan to balance the budget within three years would require $43 billion in cuts. He claimed that could mean $300 million cut from health care funding in Saskatchewan alone.

“Every real win for working people — dental care, pharmacare, safer workplaces — came from electing New Democrats,” Singh said.

LIBERALS TARGET SASK. BREAKTHROUGH

There are 14 federal ridings in Saskatchewan, which has gone entirely Conservative in the past two elections. Polls suggest the Conservatives are likely to maintain its dominance in Saskatchewan, though at least one riding is expected to be more competitive.

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Buckley Belanger, the Liberal candidate for Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River, was among the candidates in attendance with Carney on Wednesday. The former Saskatchewan NDP MLA and provincial cabinet minister, who is seen by many as the front runner in his race, said voters from across the province have the chance to accomplish something positive.

“We have an opportunity to change the course of our country,” he said.

Carney called on his supporters to help those candidates get elected.

“You’ve got to send great Saskatchewan MPs to Ottawa,” he said.

Liberal Party’s Ralph Goodale held his Regina seat for 26 years until being defeated in 2019. Prior to that, the last time another Liberal held a seat in Saskatchewan was 2007.

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The NDP last won seats in Saskatchewan in the 2015 election, when the party claimed three ridings.

Tre Gibson, a self-proclaimed communist who was also protesting at the rally, said he might end up voting for Carney.

“I don’t like Mark Carney very much. I think that he’s better than the Conservatives, for sure,” he said.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

National polls continue to show the Liberals are on track to form government for a fourth straight term. 338Canada projections updated Tuesday show the Liberals outpacing the Conservatives by six points.

— With Postmedia Network files

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