As the federal election enters its final weekend, local candidates are facing their last chance to make their pitch to the undecided – or to draw strategic voters away from other parties.

All three major-party candidates in Victoria sounded confident heading into the final stretch, but all had busy weekends planned to try to pick up extra X's beside their name when voters mark their ballots Tuesday (Oct. 14).

"We're going to be knocking on doors, store fronting, burma-shaving -- we have to get the message out," said Conservative candidate Jack McClintock, reached by phone while he was out door-knocking.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper stumped in Victoria for the second time in the span of one week Wednesday. McClintock said Harper's visits reflect his party's belief that they have a chance to sweep all six Vancouver Island ridings.

"We want to have a strong voice for Vancouver Island ... Right now we hold two (seats), but all six ridings are within reach," he said.

McClintock said his pitch in the final days isn't directed at any particular audience, but will be based in part on Harper's personality.

"We're reaching out to everybody. We're not keying on our traditional Conservative voter, we see a lot of Liberals, we see a lot of New Democrats that are looking for some stability. They just don't see it in their parties and especially their leaders and are coming to the Conservatives."

Liberal candidate Anne Park Shannon was still firming up plans for her final push earlier this week.

Fresh off her own party leader Stéphane Dion's second visit of the campaign Monday, she was still firming up plans for her final push.

Like her Tory opponent, her message was focused on Harper, albeit in a different direction.

"People are increasingly realizing that this election is going to have one of two results: either we're going to have a continued government of Stephen Harper or we're going to elect a Liberal government," she said.

To do that, Shannon said the push is on for all voters, "anyone from any party who's interested in supporting a Liberal government and replacing the government of Stephen Harper." She said her party his looking for wins in all three south Island ridings.

Incumbent New Democrat MP Denise Savoie also said her final campaign drive isn't directed at any specific group of voters. "I'm focusing on every voter I come in contact with," she said.

She'll be out mainstreeting around the riding and taking part in at least two events.

"I'm optimistic but we won't take anything for granted until the last minute," said Savoie.

She didn't see the late visits from the two other party leaders as a threat.

"I think Mr. Harper's attitude, especially given the colossal meltdown we're looking at worldwide ... I think he's really deaf to the fears and anxiety people are expressing to me and proposing no solutions."

Savoie has good reason to be confident, said University of Victoria political scientist Dennis Pilon.

"I don't think the Conservatives can win that seat, I don't think they're really competitive and the Liberals didn't really nominate anybody that had the kind of reputation that I think would have been required," he opined.

The last-minute visits from Harper and Dion owe mainly to the battle over Saanich-Gulf Islands, where Tory MP Gary Lunn will have to fight hard for his seat against Liberal Briony Penn after NDP candidate Julian West dropped out, eliminating a historic vote split on the center-left.

kvass@vicnews.com

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