McKenna, Poilievre erect new signs with no party colours

With the federal election less than a week away,two incumbentcandidates in Ottawahave erected unusual issue-based campaign signs that are neitherLiberal red nor Conservative blue.

Black signs have cropped up along roadways in Carleton riding with messages such as "Support Small Business" and "Vote Pierre Poilievre".

It's the first time in six campaigns that Conservative Pierre Poilievre hasgone beyond the typical party sign with this name on it.

"The causes I'm championingto defend small businesses against Liberal tax hikes, to protect taxpayers against higher costs, to let people get ahead transcend all party colours in the sense that people from all parties are affected by it," he told CBC News.

New election signs drop party colours to focus on issues

5 years ago

Duration 0:54

Conservative candidate Pierre Poilievre and Liberal candidate Catherine McKenna, both incumbents, have debuted new signs that highlight election issues rather than party colours.

Poilievreis again being challenged byLiberal Chris Rodgers, whom he beatbythree percentage points in 2015, as well as the NDP'sKevin Hua, Green Party'sGordon KubanekandAlain Musende of the People's Party of Canada.

• ELECTION 2018| Carleton riding profile

Poilievre suggested acoalition between Liberals and NDP might be the outcome of Monday's election, and not to every voter's liking.

"I want to let them know that even if they had a prior political allegiance, they can vote for me to stop those tax increases and make their lives more affordable so they can get ahead."

McKenna's six signs

Voters in the city core, meanwhile, might have noticed unusualsigns from the Catherine McKennacampaign with simple statements such as "'Vote for Our Climate" in both languages on a turquoise placardor"Vote to End Poverty" on a yellow sign.

Other signscarry messages about supporting public service jobs, gun control, and abortion rights.

"These signs are intended to pop," explained McKenna, noting she has many red Liberal signs across theriding. Those traditional signs compete with those of NDP challenger Emilie Taman, ConservativeCarol Clemenhagen,Angela Keller-Herzogof the Greens, andMerylee Sevilla of the People's Party of Canada.

• ELECTION 2019 | Ottawa Centre riding profile

Like Poilievre's, the signs in Ottawa Centre are McKenna's own initiative and approved by her own agent rather than her political party.

McKenna also suggeststhe Conservatives mightform the government instead of her Liberals.

"The point is to differentiate from all the signs that are out there, to cut out the noise, to get to what is really at stake. This is a really important election. These are really important issues," she said.

Loyal to party lines, both say

"I don't recall seeing signs like these before," saidSteve White, a political science professor at Carleton University.

Local campaign signs will sometimes emphasize the party leader, however, or play up the candidate him or herself, he said.

White wouldn't speculate aboutthe strategy behind Poilievre's and McKenna'snew signs, andsays it's hard to know what impact they will have.

"There's very little research on the impact of campaign signs on the vote in Canada," White said.

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Asked if hisblack signsare an effort to depart from the central campaign, Poilievre says the messages are in line with the Conservative platform.

"I'd say it's complementary," Poilievre said.

Similarly, McKenna said she's not trying to distance herself and no one questions she's a Liberal.

"I wear red all the time," she said.