With polls suggesting a majority government might be out of reach for the Conservatives and Liberals, the two party leaders made a final sprint through Quebec and Ontario Saturday hoping to pick up supporters in key swing ridings.
During a campaign stop in southern Quebec, Harper fired a salvo at the Bloc Quebecois, who have managed to steal away much of the Conservatives' early-campaign momentum in the province.
He said that when the Bloc's "demagoguery of the moment" passes -- referring to their claims a Tory government would be harmful to the province -- "Quebecers will look at their pragmatic interests."
At the campaign's outset, the Conservatives had hopes of grabbing more than a dozen seats in Quebec, which strategists pegged as an essential step towards winning a majority government in Parliament.
However, Tory policies like arts cuts and a crackdown on young offenders haven't played well in Quebec, and the party has watched support swing to the Bloc Quebecois.
Still, Harper remained optimistic.
"I'm confident Quebecers will listen. I'm confident that the attempt of the Bloc to demonize me really belittles the intelligence of Quebecers," he said.
Harper also slammed Liberal Leader Stephane Dion for conceding that implementation of the Grit platform could take longer than expected because of global economic turmoil.
"Today, Mr. Dion said he may not actually do anything he promised in his platform -- not health care, not child care, not anything else -- for years. But he is going to do the carbon tax now, no matter what. That, friends, is why we have to stop him."
Dion, meanwhile, worked to block Harper's bluster by saying his platform would be brought in over four years -- no matter what.
He also sharpened his attack on the Conservatives and said their campaign was based on lies.
"It's a four-year plan, and we'll deliver it despite the economic mess that will be inherited from the Conservatives," said Dion, adding that the Green Shift amounts to sound policy.
Though Dion and the Liberals have rebounded after a dismal start to the campaign, the Green Shift has been met with antipathy and confusion among voters, and Harper has managed to portray it as a risky tax grab.
"We know that Stephen Harper is trying to win this election on a lie. His lie is that he pretends we will raise taxes. Not at all. We'll cut your income taxes - by 10 per cent for most of us."
Speaking at a Saturday afternoon rally in Oakville, Ont., Dion said his party was the "clear choice" when contrasted with the Conservatives.
"It's Stephen Harper and his right-wing agenda that will deteriorate our economy, do nothing for the environment and do nothing for the social fabric for this country," he said.
"Or you have a progressive government for all Canadians ... with strong members of Parliament that will not be muzzled and will speak for the interests of their communities."
Meanwhile, NDP Leader Jack Layton also took aim at Quebec voters on Saturday, telling them they can "do better" than the Bloc Quebecois.
Layton, campaigning in Montreal, said Bloc members are "good people" but are ineffective and that the NDP are a viable alternative to the Conservatives and Liberals.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe was campaigning in western Quebec, working to increase his lead in the province.
Green Leader Elizabeth May remains in Nova Scotia, where she's continuing her fight to unseat Conservative candidate Peter MacKay in the riding of Central Nova.
