As the federal election campaign neared its halfway point, Conservative leader Stephen Harper made his first stop in Waterloo Region on Wednesday.

Addressing hundreds of party supporters at Bingemans in Kitchener, Harper focused his speech on the two pillars of his party’s platform – security at the economy.

On the economy, he said that his party was the only one that could navigate Canada through an environment of falling oil prices, Greek debt and turmoil in the Chinese economy.

“These are all real challenges that create real effects on our country,” he said.

“International markets seem to remind us almost daily that we are once again living in times of economic stability.”

Harper made mention of Waterloo Region during this portion of his appearance, touting his government’s record of spending on infrastructure projects ranging from light rail transit to a bridge on Stirling Avenue.

He also took aim at the Liberal plan to raise taxes on businesses, and said that neither of the other major parties had an effective plan for the economy.

“What they want to do is what they always want to do: Spend more money,” he said.

“That’s really all there is to the Liberal and NDP platforms.”

Harper’s half-hour speech also touched on security, as he accused the Liberals and NDP of planning to make Canada less secure.

Harper did not take questions from reporters during his stop in Kitchener.

NDP leader Thomas Mulcair did take questions during his lone stop in the region since the campaign began, while Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has yet to visit the area.