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Policies on veterans, climate change emerge as leaders head back to the trail

Campaign discussions shifted back to meat-and-potatoes policy after fallout from blackface scandal
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Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks in Surrey on Aug. 30, 2019. (Surrey Board of Trade photo)

Discussion on the campaign trail shifted back to meat-and-potatoes policy Sunday after a steady diet of fallout from Justin Trudeausa国际传媒檚 blackface scandal.

Recently discovered images showing Trudeau in black- or brownface at costume events before he entered politics dominated the last few days of the campaign, throwing Liberal re-election efforts off course.

After a break from the trail Saturday, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer visited Prince Edward Island to promise more robust support for veterans after moves by Liberal and Tory governments angered them.

Scheer said as prime minister he would clear a backlog of veteranssa国际传媒 benefit applications within two years and create a reliable pension system.

sa国际传媒淭o every veteran who has struggled and who has continued to struggle without the support and benefits you have earned through your service, my message is this: You have been betrayed, but you deserve better,sa国际传媒 he said.

Scheer is also promising to strengthen post-service transition supports, help more veterans get service dogs, enshrine in legislation a guarantee that every veteran is treated with respect and gets services in a timely manner, and support commemoration projects such as the National Memorial for Canadasa国际传媒檚 War in Afghanistan.

sa国际传媒淎s prime minister I will take a personal interest in ensuring the commitments we made today are followed through on,sa国际传媒 he said.

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During a stop in Gatineau, Que., NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh pledged to add $2.5 billion to the federal governmentsa国际传媒檚 disaster mitigation fund.

Singh says the idea is to help people sa国际传媒 like those in west Quebec who recently faced severe flooding sa国际传媒 avoid disasters and be able to stay in their current homes.

The national Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund has already set aside $2 billion to support large-scale infrastructure programs that help communities better manage such risks.

The federal government says an increasing number of Canadian communities have experienced significant weather-related events and disasters triggered by natural hazards such as floods, wildland fires and droughts sa国际传媒 events that are becoming more frequent due to climate change.

Singh said sa国际传媒渨e cansa国际传媒檛 just close our eyessa国际传媒 to the prospect of more weather-related calamities.

Trudeau, meanwhile, is promising a new policy announcement later Sunday at a residential subdivision in Brampton, Ont.

Green Leader Elizabeth May doesnsa国际传媒檛 have big plans Sunday other than a fundraiser in Victoria.

May was in Winnipeg on Saturday to talk up her partysa国际传媒檚 plans to combat the opioid crisis by decriminalizing drug possession and improving social supports for people who use drugs.

Asked about the proposal Sunday, Scheer said while he would not recriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, the Conservatives think making other drugs legal is a bad idea.

sa国际传媒 With files from Kelly Geraldine Malone

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press

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