The perceived front-runner in the Conservative Party leadership race made a stop in Sarnia Tuesday afternoon.
Pierre Poilievre was joined by Sarnia-Lambton MP Marilyn Gladu and roughly 150 card-carrying party members during a voting party at the Best Western on Venetian Boulevard.
Gladu said Poilievre talked about the "punishment" the federal Liberals have brought against the energy industry.
"With not building pipelines, shutting down all of the oil and gas projects, and so he recognizes that we need to be energy independent in Canada and will put laws in place to start building projects again and supporting oil and gas and getting off foreign oil, which is I think a good message for Sarnia-Lambton."
(From left to right) Paul Rampone, Sarnia-Lambton MP Marilyn Gladu and Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre at a voting party in Sarnia. 16 August 2022. (Photo provided by MP Marilyn Gladu)
Gladu said Poilievre's main message, that people need to get their freedom back, has been resonating across the country.
"I mean, thousands of people who have never been members of any party, let alone the Conservative Party, are coming out -- young people, women. So, I think people are ready for change and Pierre's the man to do it."
Gladu is Poilievre's Ontario co-chair in the leadership race. A new party leader will be elected by September 10.
"As we move to the last phase before the vote I will be going to various ridings where we want to increase the effort," said Gladu, who also introduced Poilievre during a stop in London Tuesday night, attended by roughly 1,500 people.
"Under this current Liberal government we've seen the punishment of the folks that don't agree with Liberal ideology and he will end that," said Gladu. "We've also seen out of control spending that's driving up inflation and making it hard for people to afford to pay their bills."
Poilievre represents the riding of Carleton at Parliament Hill and is the Tories shadow minister for finance.