Justin Trudeau draws crowd in Medicine Hat as byelection looms

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a rally in Medicine Hat hoping to build support for a Liberal byelection candidate running in a traditionally Conservative riding.

The event drew about 1,300 people to a downtown building Thursday nightso manythat a crowdwaited outsidefor a chance to meetTrudeau.

Inside, Trudeau wastrying to drum upsupport for Liberalcandidate Stan Sakamoto, a father of seven who runs a catering company.

"He knows what it takes to create jobs because he's done it," Trudeau told the crowd. "He knows what it takes to create growth in Southern Alberta because he has lived here all his life and he sees what works and what doesn't. Stan knows what Medicine Hat needs right now are good, well paying jobs."

Traditionally Conservative riding

Thebyelectionwas called for Oct. 24 following the death of former Member of Parliament JimHillyer.Advanced polls open on Friday.

During his speech,Trudeautouted his party's achievementsfor Alberta ranchers.

"Because of the work we did, ranchers here can now sell OTM beef to Mexico, bone-in beef to China and we got the Americans to back off on country of origin labelling."

But he didn't mention a more controversial topic in Alberta:carbon pricing.

The Conservative candidate running inthisbyelectionis GlenMotz, aformer policeinspector, who was out door knocking on Thursday.

"I've spent months onthe doors, talking to thousands of people around the riding and we're [heard]very positive comments andfeedback from across the riding so we are very encouraged by what we've been hearing."

MedicineHatCardstonWarner has been consideredone of the safest Conservative ridings in the country.

In the last electionHillyerwon 68.8 per cent of ballots cast, with the Liberals' Glen Allen takingjust 17.9 per cent. The areahas only electedconservative leaning MPs since 1968.

Trudeau poked fun at the Liberal party's history in southeast Alberta by reminding the audience of his father Pierre Trudeau's visit to Medicine Hat when he was a boy.

"What's important from that visit of my father's in 1972 from a historical perspective that was the moment that we started the decades-long dominance of the Liberal Party of Canada in Southern Alberta."

The crowd let out a cheer before Trudeauadded:"No. That didn't happen."

Six candidates are running in the byelection.