The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Tamara Taggart speak to supporters at a Liberal nomination event in Vancouver, B.C., on March 24, 2019.

VANCOUVER — Justin Trudeau delivered a feisty, campaign-style speech in Vancouver-Kingsway Sunday night as he introduced former TV news anchor Tamara Taggart as the riding's Liberal candidate in the fall federal election. The prime minister fired off a flurry of verbal jabs at Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer, and also former prime minister Stephen Harper, giving a glimpse of what could be a heated campaign for the October election. "Investing in people and communities is the way to grow the economy. Stephen Harper and the Conservatives still don't get it. Andrew Scheer doesn't get it either," he said to a gym full of enthusiastic supporters.

The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to supporters with Tamara Taggart during a Liberal nomination event in Vancouver, B.C., on March 24, 2019.

"Under Stephen Harper, Canada had the worst growth rate we'd had since the depths of the Great Depression under R. B. Bennett." Trudeau then accused Scheer's Conservatives of hoping to continue Harper's policies by giving tax breaks to the wealthy while cutting programs for the middle and lower classes. "They still think the way to create economic growth for everyone is to cut programs and give advantages and benefits to the wealthiest," he said. "Well, that doesn't trickle down to anyone and it didn't work for 10 years." Trudeau pitched the upcoming election as an opportunity for all Canadians to step up and start talking about the kind of country they want to leave for their children and grandchildren.

The Canadian Press Tamara Taggart speaks to supporters during a Liberal nomination event in Vancouver, B.C., on March 24, 2019.