Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne wave to the crowd at the federal Liberal national convention in Halifax on Friday, April 20, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

Sitting low in the polls, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has the chance to get some much-needed shine from her more popular federal counterpart on Friday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will spend much of the day in Toronto and then head to southern Ontario for an announcement with the premier.

Trudeau is squeaking in the visit just five days before the writ drops on the June provincial election traditionally a time when the prime minister stays on the sidelines. Wynne will be on hand for Trudeau’s lunch event in honour of Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa. The two will then then go to a Toyota plant in Cambridge to make a jobs announcement. A source familiar with the announcement said it’s been in the works for a long time.

Events with the prime minister and premiers are common but former Liberal staffer Greg MacEachern says having the visit so close to writ-drop in a fixed-term election is “unusual.” A senior vice-president with Proof Strategies, MacEachern said the stop-in will help to shore up incumbent Liberals in a tough election and rally the base but any change in momentum has to come from the provincial campaign.

Citing the 2015 federal election where Wynne went all-in on campaigning for the federal Liberals, MacEachern said Trudeau’s visit also serves to “return a favour.” On top of that, he said it’s smart party politics given that Trudeau will be calling on his provincial cousins to help out in next year’s federal election.

Morale boost aside, the Liberals have a steep hill to climb. Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford is consistently polling in majority-territory, with Wynne and the NDP fighting it out for second place.

Kate Harrison, a long-time Tory campaign staffer and now senior consultant with Summa Strategies, said the Liberal brand polls well but she argues voters have “separated Wynne and Trudeau” and voter discontent is focused squarely on Wynne.

The election writ drops on Wednesday but all three major parties have been in full campaign mode since last week. Ford will be in Toronto for an announcement Friday morning and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath will unveil her platform for Northern Ontario in Thunder Bay.

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