Justin Trudeau is afraid to run on his record, his rivals charged Thursday sa国际传媒� but with Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer again fielding questions about abortion and the NDPsa国际传媒檚 Jagmeet Singh deep in Liberal territory in Ontario, all three found themselves wading through the muck of past political messes on Day 2 of the federal election campaign.
The Conservative, NDP and Green leaders largely spent the day hunkered down in preparation for the Macleansa国际传媒檚/CITY TV debate, scheduled to take place later Thursday in Toronto, but Scheer and Singh both emerged briefly to pitch their priorities on taxes and health care.
Trudeau, under fire for opting to skip the first debate, said hesa国际传媒檒l stick to the official debates next month and a third in French hosted by TVA. And he suggested hesa国际传媒檇 prefer to be on the campaign trail in B.C. and Alberta anyway.
sa国际传媒淭he opportunity to get out across this country, speak with Canadians, listen to them, and talk about how we are going to build a better future for everyone and how wesa国际传媒檙e going to choose a better future for everyone is at the core of what this election is all about for me,sa国际传媒� he said in Victoria, where he announced an expansion of a program to help first-time homebuyers.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 going to keep doing that.sa国际传媒�
Scheer said he wasnsa国际传媒檛 surprised Trudeau would be a no-show, given the recent Globe and Mail reports that have thrust the SNC-Lavalin affair back into the headlines. But the Liberal leader is also gun-shy when it comes to talking about Canadasa国际传媒檚 place in the world, he added.
sa国际传媒淚 note that this evening, a part of the debate will be focused on foreign affairs,sa国际传媒� said Scheer, who was in Toronto to highlight a promised tax credit on maternity and paternity benefits.
sa国际传媒淎nd if theresa国际传媒檚 one area where Justin Trudeausa国际传媒檚 failures have been so visible to Canadians, so evident that Canadians can immediately understand, itsa国际传媒檚 on the subject of foreign affairs.sa国际传媒�
Singh said hesa国际传媒檚 disappointed Trudeau has decided to skip the event, as Canadians expect him to show up and defend his record.
sa国际传媒淗is record is pretty abysmal but that doesnsa国际传媒檛 mean he should give up on the debate,sa国际传媒� he said after an event in Brampton, Ont.
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Singh launched his first federal campaign from the Brampton area in 2011, losing to a Conservative. In 2015, the areasa国际传媒檚 five ridings were all scooped up by the Liberals. On Thursday, he fielded questions sa国际传媒� including one in Punjabi, which he speaks fluently sa国际传媒� about why Liberal supporters should pivot his way this time around.
He promised to be a prime minister who responds directly to the areasa国际传媒檚 concerns, highlighted by his promise of the day: funds to build and expand hospitals to serve the booming population of the area.
The Greens were dealing with their own candidate issues, moving swiftly to remove a candidate in an Ontario riding. A social media post had shown Erik Schomann helping roast a pig, with the caption suggesting the leftovers would be mailed to Muslims. Members of white supremacist groups often suggest mailing pigs as a way to threaten Muslims. Pork is forbidden in Islam.
While Green party Leader Elizabeth May was set to participate in Thursday nightsa国际传媒檚 debate, Peoplesa国际传媒檚 Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier was excluded from the lineup.
He took his campaign to his home riding of Beauce, in Quebec, the lone seat his party currently holds. He said it was funny that the satirical Rhinoceros Party has found someone with the same name to run against him in his hometown, but feels voters are smart enough to make the right choice.
Stephanie Levitz, The Canadian Press
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