In the dying hours of the election campaign, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper ramped up his efforts to win crucial votes in Quebec by attacking the Bloc Quebecois as a "useless" party that can only further isolate the province.
Speaking at a campaign stop in Saint-Tite, Que., Harper said the Bloc can't fight for the interests of Quebec businesses and farms from "a small corner in the House of Commons."
He also implored Quebecers to "finally get out of the opposition and get candidates into the role of government in the country they founded."
Over the final campaign weekend, Harper has focused his attention on winning battleground ridings in Quebec, where the Bloc has managed to steal away much of the Conservatives' early campaign momentum.
Tory policies on the arts and their tough talk on young offenders haven't played well there, according to opinion polls.
But Harper said Quebecers should vote for a party that has a chance to form a government instead of a separatist party that does not run a national campaign.
"Friends, Quebec no longer needs Bloc MPs who are 'useless,'" he said.
"We want Quebecers to have more power in Ottawa; they want you to have less."
Meanwhile, Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe ramped up his rhetoric by calling a Quebec Conservative incumbent Luc Harvey an "imbecile," The Canadian Press reported Sunday.
The confrontation erupted when Harvey began heckling Duceppe after the pair ran into each other at a farmer's market in the suburban Quebec City riding of Louis-Hebert.
CTV's Robert Fife said Sunday afternoon that the amped-up Conservative push in Quebec may not be enough to revive the party's fortunes there.
"The Prime Minister blew it," said Fife, referring to his policies on arts cuts and young offenders.
Still, by offering Quebec a place within the government, Harper's pitch may have political attraction in some ridings, Fife said.
"That may be enough to sway some Quebecers to vote for him."
The Harper team also wrapped up its schedule of news conferences Sunday, meaning reporters likely won't get the chance to ask the Conservative Leader any more questions before Tuesday.
Dion calls Harper a 'quitter'
Meanwhile, Grit Leader Stephane Dion continued to hammer away at the Conservatives and worked to bring NDP and Green supporters into the Liberal fold.
"I will never quit. I will stay for my country," said Dion during a sweep through Ontario Sunday.
Dion will take his message of "go green, vote red" across the country one final time during a frantic, coast-to-coast tour.
"But I'm working hard now. We're working all of us for a victory, for a progressive government. This is what is at stake."
Earlier, Dion told a Toronto television phone-in show that he'll continue to fight for his political life, unlike Harper.
According to The Canadian Press, when Dion was asked to respond to a Harper comment that both he and Dion would lose their jobs if they lose Tuesday's election, Dion called Harper a "quitter."
"Yeah, well, he's a quitter. I'm not," Dion said. "I will fight for my country. I love Canada."
Harper has said Dion will abandon key programs in favour of his environmental priorities. Dion says that's just not true.
Layton attacks Harper
NDP Leader Jack Layton spent Sunday whistlestopping through seven communities in southwestern Ontario. It's an area that has been devastated by the slowdown in the economy, particularly the manufacturing sector.
At one of his first stops, Layton accused the Tories of watching idly as 400,000 manufacturing jobs have disappeared in the past few years.
Despite falling poll numbers, Layton kept up his pitch to replace Harper as the country's leader and he said the holiday will offer time for voters to mull their options.
"Families are going to be getting together, they're going to be thankful for what they have, but they are also very worried about what the future holds."
Layton also told supporters that he would negotiate fair trade deals and initiate a "Buy Canadian" program.
Minority government may not last
Harper said he doesn't expect Parliament to last a full four-year-term if Tuesday's election leads to another minority government, and that the other parties may try to form a coalition.
"Parliament isn't going to come down immediately," he told CTV's Question Period. "But what I think we will see is that Parliament won't last the full four years."
Harper said he has always claimed that the election is going to be close, adding that no matter which party wins, their leader will have a "period of time to pursue their agenda."
Harper didn't say if he would step down as Conservative leader if he doesn't get a majority government. He also told Question Period there's a high chance the other leaders could unite and try to form a coalition government.
"But there certainly is a risk they could gang up with the other guy, and I think that would be disastrous."
