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For the first time since he was elected prime minister, Justin Trudeau squared off in Parliament on Monday against the adversary who will lead the official opposition into the next election.

It was also the first chance for Canadians to see the key battle in the new political landscape: 38-year-old Andrew Scheer, elected as Conservative leader on May 27, taking on the 45-year-old Trudeau — a showdown delayed due to Trudeau’s trip to Europe last week for NATO and G7 meetings.

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But the question period clash, normally a highly charged theatrical affair, started on a sombre, non-partisan note, as Scheer asked the prime minister for an update on the terrorist attack in London on Saturday that killed seven, including Christine Archibald of Castlegar, B.C.

Scheer took the opportunity to encourage Canadians to take up the call of Archibald’s family and “volunteer their time and labour, or donate to a homeless shelter, and tell them Christine sent you.” Archibald worked at a homeless shelter in Calgary before moving to Europe.