Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stumps for Whitby-Oshawa byelection candidate

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynnejoined aprovincialbyelection rally in Whitby, Ont., on Tuesday evening with hopesofpainting a longtime Tory riding Liberal red.

Ontario's transportation minister, Steven Del Duca, and several other Liberals also joined the rally in support of the party'scandidate,Elizabeth Roy. The event which was criticized by both the PC and NDP candidates inthe riding was held just two days before theThursday night vote.

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Trudeau andWynne entered the venue, Zingers Sports Bar, together, navigating their way through a crowd that chanted "Trudeau! Trudeau! Trudeau!"

"How amazing is this?" Royasked the crowd as she took the stage.

This is the first time in 30 years the Liberalshave had a real shot in the riding, Roy told her supporters.

"We're going to paint this town red. Whitby-Oshawa is going red."

Trudeau reminded the hundreds of supporterson hand of last fall's federal election, which saw a major change in fortune for the Liberals, and said his government is making good on its promises more than 100 days in.

He praised Roy as a strong leader who will help work on key Liberal issues like creating middle-class jobs and reforming the pension system.

"You expect a strong voice at Queen's Park," Trudeau said, flanked by Roy and Wynne.

PCs have controlled riding

It's unusual for a prime minister to wade into a provincialbyelection, but Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne took a high-profilerole in Trudeau's campaign in the recent federal election, whichapparently paid off.

The Liberals, who held only 13 seats in the province when thefederal election was called, were elected in 80ofOntario's newlyexpanded total of 121 seats.

The Whitby-Oshawabyelection was triggered afterProgressive Conservative Christine Elliott resigned theseat, monthsafter losing her party's leadership race.

Lorne Coe, the PC candidate, said his party won't give up the riding without a fight.

"I'm certainly going to continue the legacy of public service of Christine Elliott and her late husband, Jim Flaherty," he said.

Elliott had held the riding since 2006.

The Liberals are eager to snatch the long-held Tory riding away,though the result won't change the balance of powerintheprovincial legislature.

Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown and the NDPcandidate have called Trudeau's appearance inWhitby-Oshawa a"distraction."

Niki Lundquist, the NDP candidate, said the prime minister's appearance is a sign of weakness.

"It's interesting to me that Kathleen Wynne is so desperate to shore up her candidate that she reaches out to Trudeau to cause a distraction," she said.

Candidate hoping for a boost

Liberal candidate Elizabeth Roy said she is looking forward towelcoming Trudeau and Wynne to the riding.

"To have the prime minister and premier visit in the final daysof the campaign is a great validation of the work we've done," shesaid.

Polls have suggested the race is between Roy and Coe both regional councillors.

The NDP hopes MPP Jennifer French's win in the neighbouringriding of Oshawa in the 2014 general election isapositive sign forthe party, but Lundquist has been polling significantlybelow the Liberals and PCs.

ric Grenier, CBC polls analyst and ThreeHundredEight.com founder, said the byelection appears to be a race between the Liberals and PCs.

ButGrenier said, "It's unlikely to change anybody's minds just because Justin Trudeau is visiting the riding."