The City of North Vancouver's Lonsdale Pier has become a popular campaign tour stop in what is considered to be an extremely tight race between Liberal incumbent Don Bell and Conservative challenger Andrew Saxton.

While Saxton has already announced his support for the project and visited the proposed site with CNV Mayor Darrell Mussatto and B.C. Conservative MP James Moore, Thursday Bell brought Liberal party heavy-hitter Bob Rae down to the Pier to announce support for the NMC within the party's 'Made in BC Agenda'.

"I have fought hard for the inclusion of this excellent facility in our platform," Bell stated in a press release. "The reality is that this project has been delayed far too long by the Harper Conservatives."

Andrew Saxton said that Bell promised the same type of support for the NMC in the closing days of the last federal election.

"He didn't deliver," Saxton said. Saxton's campaign manager Marko Dekovic called Bell's statement "complete nonsense."

While it appears severe credit seizures in world money markets and global recession concerns could dampen hopes to push the NMC forward, Saxton said "(the credit seizure) doesn't mean (the NMC) won't go ahead. I will certainly fight for it."

Bell claimed the project could address "current economic turmoil."

"This project will provide a short term boost to the local trades and construction industry in a time when construction starts are declining and a longer term economic lift to our tourism industry."

Dekovic said based on phone polling, door knocking and other research, the North Vancouver race will be decided by less than 1000 votes.