OTTAWA — Two of the three major political parties tried to score domestic political points on Sunday— one day ahead of a major foreign policy debate by leaders on the road to the Oct. 19 federal election.

New Democrats released their plan to address climate change, one that would allow provinces to opt out if their efforts to minimize carbon emissions are as good or better than those of the federal government.

Tom Mulcair says the money raised by the federal government through putting a price on carbon would go to the provinces for reinvestment in additional measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

At the same time, the federal Conservatives attempted to pull a one-two political punch on the Liberals, accusing Justin Trudeau of making excuses for criminals and measuring economic growth through deficits.

Veteran cabinet ministers Tony Clement and Julian Fantino held an event in Vaughan, Ont., picking apart comments Trudeau made in a weekend interview with Global Television's The West Block.

Fantino attacked the Liberal proposal to do away with mandatory minimum sentences in a series of tough comments that at times turned into a tirade, where he said criminals don't take advantage of the "great services" in prison for rehabilitation and career offenders who are kept "isolated and insulated" don't re-offend when they are released.

The Canadian Press

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