CityVote Day 20: Party leaders hit the campaign hustings again

It’s back to the grind on the federal election campaign.

The main federal party leaders returned to the hustings today after two nights of nationally televised debates.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff was first out of the gate this morning, touting his proposed Green Renovation Tax Credit.

The program would let homeowners claim a tax credit of up to $13,500 for energy-efficient renovations, such as new doors and windows.

In addition to reducing energy use and saving homeowners money, Ignatieff says the $400-million plan would create a whole new industry.

Nearly four million viewers tuned in to Tuesday night’s English-language leaders’ debate, and numbers were expected to be particularly high in Quebec for Wednesday’s French-language encore.

All four major party leaders start their day today in La Belle Province. Both Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and Ignatieff then head to Ontario, while NDP Leader Jack Layton and the Bloc’s Gilles Duceppe remain in Quebec.

While Harper fended off attacks from his rivals throughout Tuesday’s confrontation, he stayed largely out of the fray Wednesday as his opponents clashed over a range of issues.

The debates appeared to engage Canadians as nothing else has in the campaign so far. But whether the interest will last, and what impact it will have on voters, remains to be seen.

Harper starts the day in Beaupre, Que., before heading to the Toronto riding of Etobicoke for an evening rally.

Layton is in Montreal all day, concluding it by watching tonight’s Montreal-Boston playoff game at a sports bar. Duceppe is in Gatineau, while Green Leader Elizabeth May stays close to home in British Columbia.

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