Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, seen with his wife Rebecca on Tuesday, spent the initial two days of his 36-day campaign in a studio in an Ottawa hotel.Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole made his in-person debut on the federal election campaign trail on Tuesday, with a news conference in Toronto followed by a rally in the city’s vote-rich suburbs.
In ordinary times, a personal visit by a candidate would not be remarkable. But this appearance was noteworthy because Mr. O’Toole had spent the initial two days of the short 36-day campaign in a studio in an Ottawa hotel, from which he greeted voters over the internet, and by phone.
The decision to avoid in-person appearances was out of step with the other campaigns, but the Conservatives say the move was one of several new tactics they’re testing amid concerns about COVID-19.
By contrast, the Liberals hit the road on Sunday, within hours of Justin Trudeau visiting the Governor-General and setting the election in motion. The NDP were in Montreal for the start of the race.
The Conservative strategy is being met with surprise in part because Mr. O’Toole has previously attributed his low favourability ratings in polls to the fact that he hasn’t had much opportunity to meet people since his election as leader last summer. But Mr. O’Toole’s team is making a virtue of his approach, saying the number of Canadians he has connected with in online and telephone appearances far exceeds what would have been possible at pandemic-era in-person events.
From his studio, Mr. O’Toole has unveiled his party’s platform, held news conferences and conducted telephone town halls with people in B.C., Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Greater Toronto Area.
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In the same 48 hours, Mr. Trudeau made whistle stops and held announcements in Blainville, Montreal, and Longueuil in Quebec, and Napanee and Cobourg in Ontario. The outdoor appearances have ranged from gatherings where a couple dozen people tapped elbows and took masked selfies with the Liberal Leader, to events with hundreds in attendance, where physical distancing was cast aside.
New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh waves from his campaign bus following a visit to Olivier's bakery during his election campaign tour in Coquitlam, B.C., on Aug. 17.JENNIFER GAUTHIER/Reuters
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh made announcements in Montreal on Sunday, and Toronto on Monday. His other campaign stops have included a Pride Parade in Montreal, and a Brampton restaurant.
On Tuesday, Mr. O’Toole said during a radio appearance that he would continue to hold a mix of virtual and in-person events. But, at an evening event, he told a crowd of 250 people that he prefers the face-to-face gatherings. “I hear real claps,” he said.
Political scientist Alex Marland said the Conservative campaign’s reliance on virtual appearances speaks to the unusual dynamics of campaigning in a pandemic.
“Normally the leader’s tour involves visuals of the leader visiting a candidate’s headquarters, where they are greeted by cheering throngs of supporters, or perhaps touring a manufacturing facility or classroom – all things that I imagine are difficult to co-ordinate at the moment,” he said in an e-mail.
“I think it’s quite bold to try this out,” political scientist Hamish Telford said about the Conservative campaign’s early reliance on virtual events.
Mr. Singh touched down in B.C. on Tuesday, while Mr. O’Toole stumped in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto, and Mr. Trudeau made stops in nearby Markham, Aurora and Barrie.
The parties have all said they will follow the provincial health rules of the regions they are in.
In-person campaigning comes with risks. Mr. Trudeau has been accosted by people offering hugs, and he has appeared at events well above the 100-person outdoor capacity limit the campaign set for itself.
Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau greets a crowd of supporters with his family in tow after triggering a federal election, in Ottawa on Aug. 15.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
“While we do not control public spaces, such as parks, we encourage all Canadians attending our events to abide by public health guidelines, including the wearing of masks and physical distancing,” Liberal spokesperson Alex Wellstead said when asked about the events.
Mr. Trudeau was asked on Tuesday if he would make any changes to his campaign plans, after Quebec Premier François Legault cancelled his own summer public appearances, citing the fourth wave of COVID-19. Mr. Trudeau said he wouldn’t.
“I think it’s a clear reminder that we have to make sure we are following public-health guidelines every step of the way,” he said at his campaign stop in Aurora.
The pandemic has forced the parties to hold most of their events outdoors, where protesters and hecklers have easy access. On Tuesday, Mr. Trudeau was accosted by protesters in Aurora who carried a sign that said “unmask our children.” They yelled expletives and shouted “shame.” In response, the Liberal Leader repeatedly shouted through his mask: “Please get vaccinated.”
Mr. Singh was also persistently heckled by a protester with a bullhorn on Monday at his event in Toronto.
Stéphanie Chouinard, an assistant professor in the department of political science at Royal Military College, said COVID-19 restrictions make everything more difficult for political parties during a campaign.
Prof. Chouinard said Mr. Trudeau’s decision to trigger an election at the start of the fourth wave of COVID-19 and his interactions with the public will be scrutinized by his competitors. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, she noted, has already criticized Mr. Trudeau in a radio interview, over crowding at a street party in the Liberal Leader’s Papineau riding on Sunday.
She said if there is an outbreak linked to a campaign event held by any political party, it will be damaging. Opposition parties, she said, could point to the fact that Mr. Trudeau did not need to trigger a pandemic election in the first place.
“That is probably something that all parties are keenly aware of and will try and avoid at all costs.”
With a report from Menaka Raman-Wilms in Ottawa
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