The House of Commons might be out of session for the summer, and the public may be more concerned with barbeque sauce and the beach, but that didn't stop Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff from trading barbs over the weekend.

Deep into hostile territory at the Calgary Stampede, Ignatieff blasted Harper in front of 700 Liberal supporters at a Saturday breakfast.

He attacked Conservative attacks ads and said his party is the alternative for people fed up with Conservative rule.

Harper spoke in front of 800 people from his home riding on Saturday, and gave his supporters the red meat they came to the Stampede for.

Harper once again raised the "coalition" charge, saying the opposition wants to band together in the fall to defeat the government. He said Canadians don't want an election, or a Liberal government propped up by the NDP and Bloc Quebecois.

He attacked Ignatieff for taking the country "to the brink of another election."

"But as a minority government we must be prepared for an election that could be forced on us at any time," Harper said.

He also touted his government's economic stimulus action during the recession, saying 80 per cent of funding has been committed. But he also said his government wouldn't bow to the demands of the opposition.

"No matter how much stimulus spending we do, and we're spending a lot, they demand more, tens of billions more," he said.

Harper also portrayed his party as "tough on crime" but said the "left-wing" opposition was hampering the government's efforts. He said only one of the government's 11 crime bills passed.

He blamed Liberal senators for blocking his legislation and vowed to appoint more Conservative senators.

While both Ignatieff and Harper talked tough about an election, it is worth noting that each was speaking to their supporters at the Calgary Stampede, an environment where politics is expected to be as rough as bull riding.

With a report from CTV's Graham Richardson