Finance Minister Vic Fedeli applauds Premier Doug Ford after a speech by the latter to members of his caucus in Toronto on Sept. 24, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

TORONTO — Doug Ford is again putting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his crosshairs as the Ontario premier rallies Progressive Conservatives in Etobicoke this weekend.

The provincial Tories are gathering for a three-day convention to vote on policy changes and elect a new party executive. The meeting follows a rough two weeks for the new government; Ford has lost members of his inner circle to harassment allegations and former leader Patrick Brown has been causing headaches for the new leader.

[READ MORE: Ontario minister calls NDP member an ‘idiot’ during question period]

Brown released a book this week, disclosing sexual-harassment allegations against Finance Minister Vic Fedeli. The minister has denied the allegations and the premier has backed him.

Against that backdrop, the party said it’s holding its biggest convention in years, which officials said more than 1,700 delegates paid to attend. But the room where Ford was speaking Friday night was only half full and there was a lot of chatter from the audience throughout his speech.

He got the most applause when he returned to one of his most frequent subjects of attack: Trudeau.

“I’m putting the prime minister on notice,” he said. “We’ve already taken Kathleen Wynne’s hands out of your pockets. And Justin Trudeau, you’re next.”

That line prompted a standing ovation from the crowd and chants of “Doug, Doug, Doug.”

Tensions between the two governments have been mounting since Ford came to office. The premier has frequently launched pointed attacks against Trudeau and the prime minister’s cabinet, and advisers have returned fire.

Last month, federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc — a close friend of Trudeau — came to Queen’s Park and accused Ford of putting national ambitions ahead of his priorities as premier.

[READ MORE: Ford pledges to help Scheer defeat Trudeau]

Ford has become a central figure in the Conservative movement’s fight against a federal carbon tax. He’s rallied support in Alberta, and hosted federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe at his office in Queen’s Park.

“We will fight the carbon tax right to the end,” Ford said.

The premier didn’t stop there, however. He also accused Trudeau’s ministers and advisers of wanting to impose a carbon tax that will “jack up the price of everything.”

In October, Trudeau unveiled his government’s plan to rebate revenues from the carbon tax back to Ontario families. The federal government said the rebate will leave 70 per cent of households better off — but Ford has said many times he doesn’t believe it.

Ford and Moe have each launched legal challenges to the federal carbon tax, and Ford told the crowd he’s building a cross-country “coalition” against it. In addition to Saskatchewan, New Brunswick’s new government is also opposed to the price on carbon.

Ford also gave a shout-out in his speech to Fedeli. Brown’s allegations against the minister were released Wednesday — the day before Fedeli delivered his first economic update. Ford has defended him against NDP calls for an investigation and, in his Friday-night remarks, he called Fedeli “one of the most honourable men I have ever worked with.”

Scheer will give a speech to the convention on Saturday morning.

Follow @MariekeWalsh