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“The Liberal party needs to, once again, be a national party,” Mr. Trudeau said.

“Not just for itself, but as I have seen across the country, people are tired of a regional focus. Whether it’s the NDP anchoring in Quebec and running against western resources, or Mr. Harper doing the opposite, Canadians are somewhat turned off by geographic divisionalism in politics.”

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Tom Mulcair’s NDP, which has one Alberta MP, Linda Duncan, also hopes to do better in the province next year and will hold a caucus meeting in Edmonton in September.

Ms. McLellan said she is hearing from some Albertans that they will not vote for Mr. Harper because of the way he conducts himself as prime minister. “Then they say to me, ‘Give me a reason to vote for your guy.’

“What that tells me is the door is open and what Mr. Trudeau and we and members of the Liberal party have to do in the next election is walk through that door and make the case to those voters as to why they can trust us and feel comfortable voting for us.”

Mr. Trudeau has travelled regularly to the province.

“This isn’t just a random whim that we have,” he said of his plan to build a strong national party.

“For me, demonstrating a strong and proud Liberal presence — even in places like Alberta where we haven’t done well in the past — is part and parcel of it. The kind of response we’re getting in the West is real.”

He pointed to the party’s increased support in recent Alberta byelections, and strong new candidates stepping forward to seek the party’s nominations in Alberta.