Flanked by Liberal candidates on the Avalon Peninsula, Paul Martin appealed to left-leaning voters to switch their allegiances.

Martin attended a rally at the Battery Hotel in downtown St. John's, kicking off three days of intense campaigning that will end Sunday in B.C.




"Canadians are waking up to the possibility of a Stephen Harper government, and they're thinking about what it would mean in their lives," Martin said.

"They're thinking twice and they're deciding and they're acting, and they're joining us," Martin said.

Martin came to boost the campaigns of three candidates – Paul Antle of St. John's East, Siobhan Coady of St. John's South-Mount Pearl and Bill Morrow of Avalon.

Flanked by candidates Bill Morrow (left) and Paul Antle, Paul Martin spoke to a rally in downtown St. John's Friday afternoon.
Flanked by candidates Bill Morrow (left) and Paul Antle, Paul Martin spoke to a rally in downtown St. John's Friday afternoon.

The Liberals went into the election campaign representing five of the seven seats in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Conservatives hold the two St. John's seats, and are hoping to make gains at the Liberals' expense.

Election night
LIVE RESULTS: Join us Monday, Jan. 23 at 11:30 p.m. NT, 11 p.m. in most of Labrador, for complete election results and full analysis of Canada Votes 2006. The Canada Election Act prohibits radio, TV and internet from distributing election results into an area where people are still able to vote. The polls across the country will all close by 11:30 p.m. NT.

Martin said Canadians are having second thoughts about the Conservative campaign.

Attacking Harper for his past statements about Canada as a welfare state, about Atlantic Canada's "culture of defeat" and for aligning himself with the conservative movement in the United States, Martin said some Conservative candidates have been muzzled during the campaign.

"Let's show Stephen Harper what we think," Martin told a crowd of party supporters.

"Let's sweep Newfoundland and Labrador."

Martin named Cheryl Gallant, Rob Anders, Rob Merrifield and Harold Albrecht as Tory candidates who have a hidden social agenda, and warned that they are still part of the Conservative party even if they haven't been heard from.

The Liberals say those candidates have been kept out of sight so they can't make remarks about abortion and same-sex marriage.

Martin had some pointed remarks about NDP Leader Jack Layton, as well, accusing him of refusing to fight the Conservatives.

"I say to Jack Layton, if you're not ready to take the fight to Stephen Harper, then move over, because I am," he said.

Arguing that the majority of Canadians do not support the Conservatives, Martin called on NDP supporters to vote Liberal.

"That's why I'm asking everyone to come together on Jan. 23," he said.

"Jack Layton can't stop Stephen Harper. Jack Layton can't protect national childcare, can't protect public health care."

Martin also appealed to voters who have been inclined to vote for the Green party.

Martin spoke about his role in negotiating a new Atlantic Accord, enabling the Newfoundland and Labrador government to retain more of its offshore oil royalties without losing money in clawbacks.

Martin said he was proud to have recognized "that the people of Newfoundland and Labrador want to control their own destiny, and that a substantial part of that is the Atlantic Accord, and that I played a role in that."