Toronto

Just call it Harper Fest.

The Ford brothers are teaming up with the Conservatives to host a massive rally for Prime Minister Stephen Harper this weekend in Etobicoke.

“We’re going to have a big rally on Saturday at the Congress Centre (650 Dixon Rd. at 7:30 p.m.),” Doug Ford told the Toronto Sun on Wednesday. “We’re going to have 55 GTA ridings involved, Ford Nation, you name it. It’s going to be a packed house.”

The ex-councillor and former mayoral candidate said the event is a “joint effort” between the Fords and the Conservative Party. A Conservative Party spokesman confirmed the party is holding a rally in Toronto on Saturday evening and added “we’re pleased the Fords are helping to promote the event.”

During a campaign stop in Brantford on Wednesday, Harper was asked why he was accepting support from the Fords given the fact Rob Ford has admitted to smoking crack cocaine.

“I think our position on these issues is very well known and the support we’ve had from those individuals for our party is longstanding,” Harper said.

Join me and my brother Doug as we host @pmharper this Saturday, 7:30 PM at the Toronto Congress Centre #elxn42#elxn2015 — Rob Ford (@TorontoRobFord) October 14, 2015

Another reporter asked Harper why he was associating his tough-on-crime campaign with “a man who is a self-admitted crack smoker.”

“Our position on these issues are very clear. I’m not going to cast those kinds of judgments,” Harper said. “Our platform is very clear and the support of that family for our party is longstanding and well known.”

The rally announcement came a day after Doug Ford and Rob Ford attended Harper’s campaign event in Etobicoke and met privately with the prime minister.

“I think it is critical that the people of Toronto and the entire country realize that if they elect Justin Trudeau, their taxes are going up. The average household is going to be affected,” Doug Ford said.

“We have to wipe the veneer off Justin Trudeau and once you do that there is no substance to his message. It would be extremely scary for the people of Canada if he was ever prime minister.”

The Liberals swung back at the Fords.

“Contrary to the Ford brothers’ baseless assertions, the Liberal Party is the only party with a real plan to cut taxes for the middle class, grow the economy, and put more money in the pockets of Canadian families,” said Cameron Ahmad, Trudeau’s press secretary. “Only Liberals are willing to make the smart investments Canada needs now to strengthen our communities and give our kids and grandkids a more prosperous future.”

The Conservatives aren’t the only ones having a rally in Toronto on the last weekend of the campaign.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair will have a rally at the Westin Harbour Castle Conference Centre on Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

don.peat@sunmedia.ca