To make a mark in the two federal ridings in Prince George, the two proclaimed candidates for the Liberal nomination will have to make personal connections with voters.
That's the advice from seven-year Vancouver-area MP Joyce Murray who spent Monday and Tuesday in Prince George meeting with local business and community leaders.
While in the city, Murray - who ran for party leadership in 2012 - met with Tracy Calogheros and Matt Shaw, both in the running to represent the Liberal party for one of the two P.G. ridings.
The Conservative party is relying on negative advertising and government funding announcements to reach voters in advance of the perceived mid-October election, Murray said.
"That makes a very difficult competition so what Liberals are doing is one-by-one meetings with Canadians right across the country," she said.
"And we've been at more than two million homes across the country already to let people know about our fair tax plan, our restoring democracy plan, our environment and economy plan."
A nomination meeting to select the Cariboo-Prince George candidate has not yet been set and so far no one has filed papers for the Prince George-Peace River nomination.
Murray said she was impressed with the local candidates who have already come forward.
"I know they're in a nomination race and wish them both well and to enjoy the adventure of putting their name forward which is tough but it's rewarding," she said.
"I hope people in Prince George will contact them and chat with them and find out more, find out why they're confident that the Liberal party is the right choice for a better government after October."
In the past, the Liberal party didn't have much of a presence locally.
The 2011 election featured an out-of-town candidate in the Cariboo-Prince George riding, who ended up placing fourth behind the Greens.
But despite the area traditionally going to Conservative representation, Murray said every riding has to be important to the party.
"We saw the Liberal party come very close in some rural, prairie ridings like Fort McMurray and like Brandon-Souris in Manitoba. So it is clear that it is a time when people are looking for a change and we're going to do everything we can to show the pragmatic policies based on the middle class and economy and jobs so that people have confidence in voting Liberal," she said.
As the Liberal critic for western economic diversification, Murray spent time in Prince George with members of the Chamber of Commerce, representatives from UNBC, the Prince George RCMP, Tourism P.G. and she toured the Wood Innovation and Design Centre.
Murray said she was encouraged by what she sees in the area, particularly at the university level.
"What they're working towards is being leaders in research and innovation. There's a real strategic advantage to positioning themselves that way and connecting with expertise in Europe to build our capabilities here and then being able to develop so that B.C. can develop and export innovations in wood technology. I think it's a very impressive program that's happening," Murray said.
She also met with members of the local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. Murray is also the Liberal's national defence critic. She said the Liberal party would commit to reopening the local Veterans Affairs office, as veterans need more one-on-one support.
The Prince George office was closed in 2012 as part of a cost-cutting measure.
