Justin Trudeau and Stephen Harper are in the country’s most vote-rich region Tuesday and Tom Mulcair is in Montreal as the three main federal leaders continue the first week of the longest campaign in modern Canada history.
Liberal leader Trudeau started the day early with an 8 a.m. rally in Mississauga, one of Canada’s largest cities and an area that was largely split between the Liberals and Conservatives during the 2011 federal election.
Trudeau took aim at Stephen Harper’s economic plan during his Tuesday morning speech, suggesting Harper’s reluctance to admit Canada might be entering another recession poses a “real risk” for the country.
“When a plan isn’t working, the real risk is sticking with the status quo,” Trudeau said.
Harper said the sliding price of crude oil is creating “temporary effects” in the Canadian economy but remained optimistic the downturn won’t result in a recession.
WATCH: Stephen Harper announces plan to introduce permanent Home Renovation tax credit.
The Conservative leader is beginning his day in Joe Oliver’s north Toronto riding of Eglinton-Lawrence. Oliver ended over 30 years of Liberal rule in the north Toronto riding in 2011 when he beat Joe Volpe by over 4,000 votes. The riding was also a controversial one prior to the writ drop as Conservative-turned-Liberal Eve Adams vied for, but lost, the Liberal nomination.
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Harper announced Tuesday that, if re-elected, he would introduce a permanent $1.5 billion home-renovation tax credit. It would be a more modest credit that than the temporary one introduced in 2009 – the ceiling would be lowered from $10,000 to $5,000.
The Conservative leader suggested the tax credit would create thousands of jobs in the construction sector and pump billions back into the Canadian economy.
About three million Canadians have taken advantage of the 2009 home renovation credit.
It’s the second straight day Harper has announced a tax credit. He crashed a Liberal stronghold in Montreal Monday, promising a $60 million incentive for businesses willing to develop skilled apprentices.
Recent polls predict a tight race between the NDP and Conservatives, with the Liberals projected to form a strong third party.
NDP leader Tom Mulcair is beginning his day in Montreal on Tuesday but is expected to campaign in the GTA ahead of Thursday’s leader’s debate on the economy.
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