OTTAWA—Wednesday night’s French-language leaders’ debate, the first debate of the campaign in which Liberal Justin Trudeau took part, plunged into hot-button issues like abortion, medical assistance in dying, the urgency of climate change and Quebec’s controversial provincial law against religious symbols.And although there was no clear winner, there were clear lines drawn between the left-leaning party leaders and Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer — and over who could claim to best represent Quebec’s interests in Ottawa. Trudeau emerged largely unscathed, but was on the defensive over his handling of SNC-Lavalin and the free trade talks.But it was Scheer who was challenged on all sides, starting right off the bat by Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet. Soon the others joined in, clashing with the Conservative leader over his “ambiguous” stance on abortion, over his reluctance to tackle climate change and his plans to build an energy corridor that Quebecers don’t want.Scheer insisted he would not reopen the debate on abortion, just as the previous Conservative government had not done.“Canadians can have confidence ... I will not reopen it. Nothing will change on access” to abortion, he said. Scheer said the only ones reopening the issue of abortion are the Liberals.On climate change, Trudeau was targeted for the Liberal purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline, while Scheer was accused by his opponents of having a weak plan to slash emissions. The Conservative leader responded by claiming the federal carbon price “isn’t working” and trumpeted his pitch for a pipeline and hydro corridor across Canada as a “win-win.” But NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh shot back, stating it’s “not winning to impose a project on the nation of Quebec.” Scheer defended his party’s position on energy and the environment, saying the BQ might want all-electr ...
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