Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says he believes it is more important to help out Canadians at home than to seek a seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Canada for one of two seats for a two-year term that would begin in 2021, but it faces a tough fight from Norway and Ireland.
The Conservatives are pledging to decrease foreign-aid spending by 25 per cent. The plan includes cutting out funding for countries they consider to be hostile regimes, or as having too much money to need the help.
Asked whether that would hurt CanadaB次元官网网址檚 bid for the UN seat it is seeking, Scheer said he was confident allies would recognize the countryB次元官网网址檚 contributions, including through its military efforts, around the world.
At the same time, he suggested securing the council spot would not be a priority for a Conservative government.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 more important to me that I help Canadians get ahead than curry favour at the United Nations,B次元官网网址� Scheer said Tuesday in Toronto.
The UN vote is next June.
Scheer noted his foreign policy announcement came the day when the party leaders would have been participating in an event the Munk Debates organized around the topic. Organizers said they cancelled the event because Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau decided not to take part.
Trudeau, who was meeting with mayors from the Greater Toronto Area about his gun-control policy on Tuesday, linked the proposed Conservative cuts to foreign assistance to their climate-change policy.
B次元官网网址淎ndrew ScheerB次元官网网址檚 climate plan relies almost entirely on action overseas and now heB次元官网网址檚 proposing to stop supporting countries who are taking action overseas on fighting emissions,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said in Richmond Hill, Ont.
Trudeau also defended Liberal investments in foreign aid, although would not commit to increasing spending to reach 0.7 per cent of GDP, which is a target the United Nations set in 1970.
B次元官网网址淲e are continuing to invest in foreign aid, because we know that helping people around the world, particularly vulnerable women and girls, is a meaningful way of promoting prosperity and indeed security and stability that impacts Canadians as well,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said.
New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh, meanwhile, said his party would commit to increasing foreign aid spending to reach the UN target.
Singh also said that if Scheer is trying to find ways to pay for his promises, then cutting foreign aid is going about it the wrong way.
B次元官网网址淚t is shameful that he is talking about cutting foreign aid when there are massive inequalities in our country,B次元官网网址� Singh said Tuesday in Vancouver.
B次元官网网址淭he fact that he is talking about cutting foreign aid is a distraction,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淗e is missing the point. He is missing the whole plot here. WeB次元官网网址檝e got massive inequality in our country and we have to ask those at the very top, the ultra rich, to pay their fair share.B次元官网网址�
Green Leader Elizabeth May is in Toronto to talk about her partyB次元官网网址檚 policy on post-secondary education at Ryerson University before heading to Montreal for an evening rally. PeopleB次元官网网址檚 Party leader Maxime Bernier is planning several small-scale appearances with candidates in southwestern Ontario.
Joanna Smith, The Canadian Press
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