Andrew Scheer and Justin Trudeau fought Wednesday for the high ground on who was best suited to fight the ravages of climate change, a battle that exposed the wide valley in their approaches.
The Conservative leader re-announced a tax credit for homeowners who make energy-saving renovations, such as installing new windows or better furnaces. Scheer said his plan was not only the best way for Canada to meet its greenhouse gas reduction commitments, but would adhere to the core tenet of his campaign: putting more money into the pockets of hard-working Canadians.
The Liberal leader announced a series of measures to mitigate the threats posed by repeat flooding, including employment-insurance benefits and a national plan to relocate at-risk homes from high waters. Trudeau reiterated his view that tackling climate change is the core political issue of the day sa国际传媒� and that he is the only viable alternative for Canadian voters compared to Scheer.
Neither he nor Scheer could provide detailed analyses of how their plans would bring down greenhouse-gas emissions, or the related costs.
Green Leader Elizabeth May opened Wednesdaysa国际传媒檚 campaigning by offering a detailed spending breakdown her partysa国际传媒檚 platform, pledging to balance the federal budget by 2024.
May proposed a series of new tax measures that she said would draw tens of billions into federal coffers. Among them was what she called a sa国际传媒渧ery small tax on financial transactionssa国际传媒� that she said would raise $18 billion by 2025.
May said the Greens would increase corporate taxes, close sa国际传媒渃apital gains loopholesa国际传媒� that taxes investment income at lower rates than employment income, apply a wealth tax to Canadians with more than $20 million and eliminate fossil-fuel subsidies.
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Scheer has also promised Canadians a balanced budget, but has yet to explain exactly how he would produce it. Trudeau says he is committed to investing in the future of the country, and has made no apologies for running deficits to do that.
Scheer pivoted his campaign to the environment on Wednesday, after Trudeau went on the attack a day earlier and attempted to brand him as a climate-change laggard.
Scheer said his 20 per cent refundable tax credit could be worth up to $3,800 annually, as he shot back at Trudeausa国际传媒檚 promise from the previous day to achieve zero net carbon emissions in Canada by 2050.
sa国际传媒淭he other key part of that is helping make life more affordable for Canadians,sa国际传媒� Scheer said in Jonquiere, Que. sa国际传媒淎nd when Canadians can take advantage of this homes tax credit to make renovations in their home, their own lives will become more affordable as the cost of living is reduced, because their energy consumption will go down.sa国际传媒�
Scheer said Trudeau isnsa国际传媒檛 on track to meet Canadasa国际传媒檚 greenhouse-gas reduction targets for 2030, so theresa国际传媒檚 no point in taking his plan for 2050 seriously. He reiterated the new Conservative plan would give Canada the sa国际传媒渂est chancesa国际传媒� to reach the 2030 targets, but his announcement carried no detailed analysis of how. The national target calls for a reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.
sa国际传媒淐anada is not the problem. We can shut down our entire economy here and within a matter of days, the production in China would replace everything that we produce here sa国际传媒� all the emissions that we emit here.sa国际传媒�
In Delta, B.C., Trudeau promised to develop employment-insurance benefits for people struck by natural disasters such as floods, pledged to develop a national plan to relocate Canadians whose homes are at risk of repeat flooding, and promised interest-free loans to make homes more energy-efficient.
Major flooding struck New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec earlier this spring for the second time in three years.
Trudeau promised a national employment-insurance disaster-benefit program for people forced out of their jobs or their homes because of floods and forest fires.
sa国际传媒淭his will become a greater concern for many people. Thatsa国际传媒檚 why we want to give families more support,sa国际传媒� said Trudeau.
sa国际传媒淭he Andrew Scheer Conservatives have the same do-nothing approach on the environment that Canadians remember from Stephen Harper, with a so-called plan that will do less and cost more.sa国际传媒�
On Tuesday, Trudeau branded Scheer as backward and out of step on fighting climate change, linking him to Conservative politicians such as Doug Ford and Jason Kenney, the Ontario and Alberta premiers.
It was part of an attempt by Trudeau to reframe the election around the environment after last weeksa国际传媒檚 revelations of his history dressing up in black- and brownface. He has linked himself to the rising protest of young people around the world that is gaining momentum through the bitter scolding of world leaders that teenaged climate activist Greta Thunberg levelled at the United Nations this week.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, also in British Columbia, promised a sa国际传媒渘ew dealsa国际传媒� for that province Wednesday. He said an NDP government would take action and put forward funds to tackle money laundering and speculation in the housing market.
He said he would dedicate a unit of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to fight money laundering and create a national registry to prevent companies from hiding profits they make from real estate.
Peoplesa国际传媒檚 Party Leader Maxime Bernier also began a western tour Wednesday, his first extended trip of the campaign, with an appearance at the Surrey, B.C., board of trade. Bernier was greeted by shouting protesters and delivered a speech focused on immigration. He said he was against sa国际传媒渕ass migrationsa国际传媒� but is not anti-immigrant.
sa国际传媒擶ith files from Camille Bains in Surrey
Mike Blanchfield, The Canadian Press
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