A Conservative government would cut foreign aid spending by 25 per cent, Andrew Scheer said Tuesday.

Speaking in Toronto, Scheer announced four key pillars of his foreign policy plans. In addition to cutting foreign aid spending, Scheer said his government would strengthen Canada’s commitment to traditional alliances such as Japan and India, advocate for human rights on the world stage, and depoliticize military procurement to better supply the Canadian Armed Forces.

The Conservatives, Scheer said, would reduce Canadian foreign aid spending directed toward middle- and upper-income countries, as well as hostile regimes. He said a lot of foreign funding transfers are from “government to government,” adding that taxpayer money should not go to regimes that are hostile to Canada, or repressive, such as Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

“Our plan will take Canadian tax dollars away from corrupt dictators and wealthy countries and return it to Canadians,” he said.

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The savings, Scheer said, will be used to benefit Canadians at home, and to strengthen foreign aid in countries that need it. He also said the government will work to protect children in conflict zones and consider aid proposals that “support non-development objectives such as minority rights and peaceful coexistence taking place in any country.”

“This is the kind of global leadership that the world needs more of,” Scheer said.

The Conservative leader chose to unveil his plans on Tuesday because it was the original date for the Munk Debate on foreign policy, which was cancelled after Liberal leader Justin Trudeau declined to attend.

Eleanore Catenaro, a spokesperson for the Liberal Party, said Scheer’s policies are shortsighted and will diminish Canada’s reputation around the world.

“Under our Liberal team, Canada has reengaged with the world, and displayed global leadership to mobilize international support to make a difference and promote human rights, including women’s rights and LGBTQ2 rights,” Catenaro said in an email.

In a press release, Liberal candidate and Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Scheer would put Canada’s economy and standing in the world “at risk with his reckless and divisive foreign policy.”

“Whether it’s Andrew’s Scheer’s endorsement of Brexit chaos, skepticism on climate change, corrosive rhetoric on immigration, or weakness on NAFTA, the Conservative plan amounts to risk and uncertainty that would hurt Canadians and our economy,” Freeland said.

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Scheer said that his proposal would not impact organizations that receive foreign aid funding, only recipient countries. Organizations that offer maternal care and abortions for women in impoverished countries will continue to receive funding, as long as funding for that country remains in palce, Scheer said, adding that he will not re-open the abortion debate in any capacity.

When asked whether he thinks the Conservative strategy will reduce Canada’s influence on the global stage, as well as Canada’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council, Scheer said the world knows Canada’s record of being a global player. He also said is it more important to help Canadians get ahead than to “curry favour” with the United Nations.

Voters head to the polls on Oct. 21.