Stephen Harper gets cheers, some jeers, while in Windsor

Two very different kinds of people greeted Stephen Harper as the Conservative leader made a pair of campaignstops in the Windsor area on Sunday.

The ones carrying blue-coloured signs hope that Harper will lead the Conservatives to a fourth term of government, while most of those with homemade signs hope voters will lead him to seek a new line of work.

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In the morning, Harper travelled to Crest Mold Technology, a business located on the outskirts of the city in Oldcastle, Ont. He was making the trip to take part in some pictures for the campaign.

But reporters who attended the photo op also saw the potential images across the road, where a small group of people were standing with signs and a large bannerthat criticized his record in government and called for his defeat.

Margaret Villamizar, the Marxist-Leninist candidate in Windsor West, was helping to holdup a long banner that said "STOP HARPER."

Asked why she was participating in a protest outside Harper's photo op, Villamizar said she was among many voters who don't want him back in the driver's seat after this October.

"There's so many things that Canadians, I think, have a reason to want to have Harper stopped,"Villamizar said. "And during the election, it's animportant time for people to take action now to make sure that happens."

Rita Demers, a fervent Harper supporter, stood on the other side of the road from Villamizar, both literally and figuratively.

Demers had gone to the Oldcastle event in hopes of seeing the Conservative leader and possibly speaking with him. That wasn't possible as the event wasn't open to the public.

However, she simply wanted to show her support for the job he has done in Ottawa.

"He's not afraid to tell the truth, even though a lot of Canadians don't want to hear it," Demers said.

Blue signs and masked faces

When Harper later made a manufacturing-related announcement at a Windsor manufacturing business, the same two groups of people showed up but the crowds on both sides were larger than at the earlier photo op.

The group opposed to a renewed Conservative government gathered on the sidewalk outside the Anchor Danly plant on Ouellette Avenue. They had placards, at least a couple wore Guy Fawkes masks and they sought support from motorists passing by the scene.

Paul Chislett, an activist from Windsor, made a point of standing outside both of Harper's campaign stops on Sunday. He was there, he said, because he stood opposed "to almost every principle"held by the Conservatives.

However, the people inside the plant were mostly Conservative supporters. They literally formed the backdrop as Harper made his announcement about a $100-million fund the Conservatives would establish if they form the next government.

This group cheered when Harper hammered home his points about the record of his government and the need to ensurethe Conservatives return to power this fall.

Canadians head to the polls on Oct. 19.