OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rallied Liberal candidates Wednesday, saying the coming election will be a choice between “cuts and austerity or investing in Canadians” as he pointedly warned that the middle class “cannot afford another Doug Ford.”

While the Ontario premier has vowed to stay out of the federal campaign, Trudeau and other Liberal candidates are only too happy to highlight the controversial cuts implemented by the Progressive Conservative government at Queen’s Park and suggest that the federal Conservatives would take a similar approach if elected in October.

“On the campaign trail, conservative politicians love to say that they are ‘for the people’ but we all know too well what happens once they’re in office,” Trudeau said, citing Ford’s 2018 election slogan.

“We’ve seen repeatedly just how far they are willing to go to help the wealthiest few, how quickly they’ll make cuts to public health, cuts to municipalities, cuts to health care, cuts to child care, cuts to education, cuts to the services Canadians rely on most because they refuse to understand that you cannot cut your way to prosperity,” the prime minister said.

Ford’s government is down in the polls after its spring budget laid out spending cuts to a range of programs that include education, the environment, municipal services and health care.

Speaking to candidates at a downtown Ottawa hotel, Trudeau framed the Oct. 21 federal election as a choice between competing agendas of the Liberals and Conservatives while omitting any reference to the New Democrats.

“In October, Canadians will have a clear choice to make — cuts and austerity or investing in Canadians,” Trudeau said.

“The middle class can’t afford another Doug Ford and it’s up to every single person in this room to make that case by sharing our positive, ambitious vision for the future,” he said

In a speech that previewed the election themes for the Liberals, Trudeau touted the government’s record since taking office in 2015 and warned that such progress would be jeopardized if the Conservatives won power.

“The things we’ve done over the last four years have measurable impact on all Canadians,” Trudeau told some 200 of the Liberals’ 230 nominated candidates who gathered for the two-day campaign session.

“During our mandate, Canadians created over 1 million new jobs. We’ve negotiated three of the largest trade deals in the world, lifted over 300,000 kids out of poverty, cut taxes for 9 million Canadians,” he said.

Speaking in French, the prime minister highlighted the government’s environmental agenda, such as measures to ban single-use plastics and its carbon pricing strategy.

Trudeau singled out the first-time candidates, telling them that campaigns, while “fun, fulfilling” can also be tough.

He encouraged the Liberal candidates not to engage in mudslinging or personal attacks, smear tactics or “the politics of fear and division” that he claimed the federal Conservatives were already engaging in.

Trudeau ended the speech with an urging to the candidates to knock on doors, make phone calls and meet voters. “I’m ready to hit the campaign trail. I know you are too,” Trudeau said, ending his speech to loud chants of “four more years.”

While the formal campaign for the Oct. 21 election is not expected to begun until after Labour day, the unofficial campaign by all parties is now expected to kick into high gear.

In the days ahead, for example, Liberal cabinet ministers will be fanning out across the country for announcements — 15 are scheduled for Thursday alone.

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Diane Lebouthillier, the minister of national revenue, and Pablo Rodriguez, the minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, will be in Quebec for separate funding announcements. Bill Blair, the minister of border security and organized crime reduction will be in New Brunswick to announce funding for initiatives to curb gun and gang violence.

Navdeep Bains, the minister of innovation, science and economic development, heads to Waterloo for an announcement on intellectual property while Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan is in Halifax to unveil investments for Armed Forces’ reserves.

Trudeau kicks off his month’s travels with a visit to Iqaluit where he is expected to help announce the Liberal candidate for the riding of Nunavut. Hunter Tootoo won the riding for the Liberals in 2015 but was forced to leave the party citing addiction issues and later questions about his conduct. He announced this week that he would not be running again. Conservative candidate Leona Aglukkaq is trying to win back the riding she held between 2008 and 2015.

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