It is fitting, albeit sad, that after such an ugly election campaign, the viable choices are vastly imperfect.

We have two leaders, both of whom have displayed decidedly unleaderly qualities. Justin Trudeau's brown-face debacle. Andrew Scheer's fudged resume. Trudeau's terrible handling of SNC-Lavalin. Scheer's repeated refusal to state his personal views on a woman's right to choose and his stated disapproval of same-sex marriage.

Where does all that leave us? Let's be realistic. Only the Liberals and Conservatives have a legitimate chance at governing. Which would be better is entirely a matter of opinion. This editorial board's view is that the Liberals are the best choice. Not because of Justin Trudeau, but because the Liberal government, overall, has a solid track record.

Liberal management of the economy has led to near record low unemployment, strong job creation and needed infrastructure investment. The Conservative claim to superiority is largely around promised tax cuts, but the truth is that tax cuts alone have not in the past generated comparable economic strength and sustained prosperity.

The Liberals also chose to spread wealth more evenly. Taxes on the middle class were reduced and the Canada Child Benefit was introduced. Thanks to the CCB, 800,000 people, including 300,000 children, have been lifted out of poverty. This would not have happened under an austerity-driven Conservative government.

Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Trudeau, dealt as well with U.S. President Donald Trump as could be expected. Scheer says they fumbled on NAFTA, but his own colleague and previous Conservative leader Rona Ambrose says the opposite. Even Conservative stalwart and veteran negotiator Brian Mulroney gives them credit.

The Liberals did not accomplish objectives on Indigenous reconciliation, but they made progress. There are fewer communities without clean water, for example. Does anyone really think Conservatives would do more?

Debt and deficit? It is a problem that Liberals don't seem concerned. But it is also worth considering their position that the deficit is less important than the ratio of deficit/debt compared to gross national product, a view supported by many economists. By that measure Canada is going in the right direction. The Conservatives have a plan to return to balance in five years, but it requires significant spending cuts, many of which Scheer has not detailed. That sounds too much like the Ford government.

Then there's climate change, in our view the most serious challenge facing all Canadians. The Liberal plan is far from perfect. Much more needs to be done to meet carbon emission targets. But the Liberals at least have a plan.

The Conservatives would kill the carbon tax, tax big polluters and encourage green innovation. That, as numerous scientists have pointed out, isn't even a plan. Under Scheer's Conservatives, Canada would move backwards, which would be shirking our responsibility to future generations.

As for the next four years, the Liberals would build on existing strengths and successes. Their major tax break would benefit low-income earners most, and those earning $210,000 a year or more not at all.

The Liberals would also tax Big Tech companies that have been benefitting over their Canadian counterparts thanks to an unlevel playing field. And they will expand the child benefit further, thus doing more to fight poverty.

The Liberals are far from perfect, but they are the best option available and worthy of support.

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