Left: Winnipeg North Liberal candidate Kevin Lamoureux is joined on stage by Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff at a rally at 1833 Inkster Boulevard on Saturday, October 30, 2010. Right: NDP leader Jack Layton speaks to the crowd during a campaign kickoff for Kevin Chief, NDP candidate for Winnipeg North, at his campaign headquarters at 1027 McPhillips Street on Saturday. (RON CANTIVEROS / FILIPINO JOURNAL)
A by-election set for November 29 in Winnipeg North is heating up as two candidates received the backing of party leaders over the weekend.
Both Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff and NDP leader Jack Layton were in town for rallies supporting Liberal candidate Kevin Lamoureux and NDP candidate Kevin Chief.
The two Kevins are both vying for the vacant seat left by Judy Wasylycia-Leis, who gave up her seat to unsuccessfully run for Winnipeg mayor in May.
The main topic Saturday was crime, as the area is still rattled by the recent rash of violence which left two men dead and severely injured a 13-year-old girl in three shootings on October 23. Both candidates addressed the issue, saying they would make it their priority to clean up the north end of the city.
Conservative candidate Julie Javier is also running in the by-election and pledged to crack down on crime last week.
