John Slykhuis

Both incumbent Conservative Peter Van Loan and his Liberal challenger Judith Moses, with their spouses in tow, were high-profile visitors to long weekend events in Georgina, shaking hands and looking very much like the campaign was already under way.

Mr. Van Loan has been crisscrossing the sprawling riding with various funding announcements for Lake Simcoe watershed cleanups and infrastructure projects. He's due on the lakeshore in Keswick tomorrow for another cheque presentation.

Ms Moses has managed to attract the highest profile Liberals to the riding to support her cause, including party leader Stéphane Dion last month in Bradford, Bob Rae last month in Udora and Michael Ignatieff earlier this year at the Sharon Temple.

All said they would love to defeat Mr. Van Loan, the controversial government House leader, seen as one of Mr. Harper's most vocal attack dogs and a major thorn in the side of the opposition.

Mr. Van Loan, fresh from a visit to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, said his party was trying to see if a productive fall session is possible.

"The Liberals have been using delay and obstruction to create gridlock on important priorities like tackling crime and democratic reform," he said. "On our tackling crime agenda, bills on tougher penalties for drug crimes, identity theft and changes to the young offenders law have been stalled for many months as the Liberals refuse to allow them to be studied."

Mr. Van Loan said the Tories' reform agenda is similarly stalled.

"We need to know there is some possibility of an agreement to move forward on an agreed agenda, including priority areas like tackling crime and democratic reform. If no such co-operation is forthcoming from the opposition, it will demonstrate that Parliament cannot be productive and an election is appropriate."

Ms Moses said she was not surprised, but disappointed by Mr. Harper's expected move to call an election this week.

"This government passed legislation that set fixed election dates. They're disdainful of their own legislation," she said.

She called the Conservatives' charge the Liberals were stalling legislation "baloney."

"You have to look at what they've accomplished," she said. "Actually their key pieces of legislation have gone through. It was a normal session of Parliament."

Despite the snap election call, Ms Moses said her campaign is set.

"I'm ready to go. I'm more than optimistic; I'm confident."

She said her campaign office will be located in Bradford West Gwillimbury, with satellite offices all around the rest of York-Simcoe.

She said her trips around the riding revealed voters are not happy.

"The key issue for people right now is concern over the economy, the price of gas, fear of job losses," she said. "It's affecting how people feel about the future."
Green Party candidate John Dewar said his campaign team is geared up for the call.

"I've been ready for the last two years for this," he said.

He accused the Liberals of not doing enough to fight the Tories on key issues and said Green Party MPs are needed to "hold their feet to the fire".

Last week, the Greens were celebrating their first MP in the House of Commons after luring independent Blair Wilson to their side. The move earned party leader Elizabeth May a spot in the television election debates.

Mr. Dewar said he won't predict the outcome in York-Simcoe if the election call comes. He finished fourth behind NDP candidate Sylvia Gerl last time, but Green candidate Jim Reeves pulled off a third-place finish in the last provincial election.

Ms Gerl, a women's advocate, increased her vote in the 2006 federal election by close to 2,000 votes over the 2004 election. She could not be reached for comment by publication time.

In 2006, Mr. Van Loan received 25,685 votes, with Liberal Kate Wilson second at 16,456. Ms Gerl got 7,139 votes and Mr. Dewar, 3,719.