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AJAX, Ont. — Justin Trudeau is flatly ruling out a Liberal-NDP coalition to prevent Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives from forming another government if no party has a majority after the Oct. 19 vote.

“I do not believe in formal coalitions,” Trudeau said Monday.

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“The Liberal party is, of course, as it always has been, open to working with other parties elected in the House of Commons to pass the right legislation to help Canadians.”

Campaigning on his plan to ease the government burden on middle-class paycheques, Trudeau dismissed the idea of governing in partnership with Tom Mulcair.

“I don’t believe in backroom deals or arrangements amongst leaders,” he said at a campaign stop in suburban Ajax, on the outskirts of Toronto.

“I believe that Canadians should have the full range of choices so that they can pick the team with the better plan.”

Trudeau claimed the NDP would hike taxes on corporations, stalling economic growth, but would not have the courage to increase taxes on high-income earners to help fund a tax cut for the middle class.