ANTIGONISH, N.S. — Let's do this together.
That was the closing line of a campaign-style speech from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Friday evening in Antigonish, as he rallied party faithful for the work ahead leading up to a federal election in October.
"We are ready to keep delivering real change," he said, while at the podium in St. F.X.'s MacKay Room during the opening ceremonies for the two-day annual general meeting of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.
On the heels of those words, Trudeau invited his "great team" of Nova Scotia MPs to the stage, including those running, not re-offering and the newest candidates for the 2019 election.
He opened his remarks by reflecting on the federal campaign four years ago, which included a stop in Central Nova - specifically, Antigonish - just 48 hours before voters put his Liberals into office, which included an 11-seat sweep in Nova Scotia.
"We knew what we stood for," Trudeau said.
What Liberals 'stood for' - including listening to Canadians and working for the middle class - has not changed.
"Those are things that we have never lost sight of," Trudeau said.
He touched on successes, such as the new NAFTA deal, along with the recent removal of U.S. tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel.
Trudeau also reiterated a promise.
"We are never going to stop fighting for Canadians," he said.
Trudeau also cautioned about what a federal Conservative government under leader Andrew Scheer would offer, including a return to policy approaches taken under former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, such as an increase in retirement age and cuts to employment insurance.
He noted his party will continue to encourage - and deliver - "hope over fear, progress over status quo and hard work over cynicism."
"We will take real action - not just provide Band-Aid solutions," Trudeau said.
Noting more than 20,000 new members have joined the federal party from Atlantic Canadians since the last election, he suggested "momentum is building."
"There is a lot of hard work to be done, but it will be exciting too," Trudeau said, describing a "busy next few months" before the federal election.
The provincial Liberal AGM will wrap up Saturday with an awards' dinner, including a keynote address from Premier Stephen McNeil.
