'Trudeau is bad for Canada,' Singh says as Liberal leader asks progressives to unite
'He was an abject failure,' NDP leader says of Justin Trudeau
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh launched his most pointed attack yet on his Liberal opponent today, saying Justin Trudeau is a failed leader who is "bad for Canada."
Trudeau, meanwhile, dismissed the NDP as an unserious option, saying the NDP has presented a vague plan to spend $200 billion more over the next five years while offering few details.
"We think Mr. Trudeau is bad for Canada because he's failed on the crises and made things worse, not better," Singh said, condemning Trudeau for voting against non-binding NDP motions on pharmacare and long-term care homes.
Singh also pointed to higher greenhouse gas emissions and a tax system he said is skewed toward the "ultra rich."
"He is bad for Canada. He was an abject failure," Singh said of Trudeau.
WATCH | Singh says 'Mr. Trudeau is bad for Canada':
With just three days left in the 44th general election, Singh and Trudeau are scrambling to shore up support among the progressive voters who could decide which party governs the country after Monday's vote.
Trudeau wants a majority government. Singh, meanwhile, is trying to avoid a repeat of the last election — which saw NDP support crater, leading to a loss of 15 seats.
Trudeau said a vote for the NDP would amount to a vote for the Conservatives because vote-splitting could put Erin O'Toole in the Prime Minister's Office. Singh said left-wing voters shouldn't fall for Liberal pressure tactics.
"The Liberal Party is not only the only party that can stop the Conservatives, but we're also the only party with a real plan to get things done," Trudeau said, pointing to experts who have criticized the NDP's climate plan as unrealistic.
"Progressives are quite rightly worried. I know there are a lot of people out there who are torn. You don't have to make an impossible choice and vote strategically. You can actually vote for the party that is going to stop the Conservatives and move forward with the strongest plan to get things done."
Trudeau prompted this election last month, saying the opposition parties have blocked the Liberal agenda by delaying government bills and disrupting the work of parliamentary committees.
WATCH | Liberals make last-minute pitch to progressive voters:
Since the election call, Trudeau has been asked over and over to explain why he's sending Canadians to the polls during the fourth wave of the pandemic. The CBC Poll Tracker suggests some Liberal supporters soured on Trudeau after the campaign launch — and the majority government the party wanted may now be out of reach.
When asked Friday how he'd handle another minority government, Trudeau said he's asking voters to return as many Liberal MPs as possible to prevent that outcome.
Singh dodged questions today about the concessions he'd try to extract from the next government in exchange for NDP support on confidence motions.
WATCH | A roundup of where the leaders were on Day 34 of the campaign:
Singh said he hasn't given this much thought because he's running to be prime minister. Polls suggest the NDP will be hard pressed to do better than third place, let alone form a government.
Asked today why his campaign has failed to catch on with more voters, Singh said the election isn't over.
"We're working hard and the Liberals often take people's votes for granted," he said. "I'm always prepared to work hard."
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