Day 15: Jagmeet Singh and Erin O'Toole campaign in Quebec

MONTREAL -

Two federal leaders courted Quebec voters on day 15 of the election campaign.

Conservative leader Erin O'Toole returned to Saint-Hyacinthe, where he held a rally before the election campaign began.

He took the opportunity to present some aspects of his program to help small and medium-sized businesses, including a commitment to "subsidize the salaries of new employees by 25 per cent" for a period of six months. He will also "responsibly" cut employment support programs.

He also pledged to provide loans of up to $200,000 to small and medium-sized businesses.

"I believe in Canadian entrepreneurs who want to get their workers back into the workforce. And they will be able to be exempted in part from paying back this loan. The contractors believe in them and I believe in them," he said.

Mr. O'Toole reiterated his intention to apply Bill 101 to federally chartered companies: "It is important to preserve the Quebec identity and nation for the heritage of our country."

However, he refused to commit to the child care agreement between the federal and provincial governments.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh was in Yamachiche, in the Mauricie region, where he held a press conference with one of his few high-profile candidates, Ruth Ellen Brosseau, one of the faces of the 2011 orange wave.

He took the opportunity to present the launch of a web platform to help people vote. The platform asks visitors to enter their zip code to find out details related to their constituency, but also their contact information.

Singh explained that the party wants to use this personal information to remind people throughout the process.

Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet attended a university soccer game at Laval University.

TRUDEAU ON THE ENVIRONMENT 

There was also talk of the environment on Day 15.

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, who was once again followed by anti-vaccination protesters, unveiled his party's agenda to help reduce greenhouse gases.

The Liberals say they want to encourage job creation in clean technologies "by making Canada a leader in the batteries" needed to make zero-emission vehicles work.

They also promise to continue their $5,000 tax credits for the purchase of zero-emission vehicles and to build 50,000 charging stations across the country for these vehicles.

A re-elected Liberal government would also ensure that the oil and gas sector reduces its emissions to meet Canada's 2050 carbon neutral goal.

To help regions with oil-based economies, the Liberals promise to invest $2 billion in a fund so that Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador can create jobs in the new green economy.

"The sound of sirens in the background reminds us that we are in a climate emergency," said Trudeau, buried by the noise of the protesters. "That's why we're going to move faster and we're going to be more ambitious," he said, returning to the day's announcement.

--This report was first published in French by The Canadian Press on Aug. 29.