Bill Morneau makes campaign stop in Kitchener South-Hespeler

Former federal finance minister Bill Morneau visited the Hespeler neighbourhood of Cambridge Thursday, throwing his weight behind incumbent Liberal MP Marwan Tabbara.

The Kitchener South-Hespeler riding has been identified by CBC as a Conservative-Liberal battleground. The Conservatives easily won the riding in 2011, but lost it in 2015 by just six per cent of the popular vote.

Speaking to CBC Thursday, Morneau also condemned Conservative leader Andrew Scheer's proposal to slash foreign aid spending, and said the Liberals' goal is to "continue doing what we've been doing."

"We've been increasing foreign aid because we recognize that that's the way we can have a big impact," he said. "We've been looking at the most challenged parts of our world and trying to make sure that people have opportunities for success."

Infrastructure funding

During his stop in the region, CBC asked Morneau about the Liberals' planfor funding municipal infrastructure.

Mayors in Kitchener and Waterloo have called on the federal candidates topermanently doublethe federal gas tax fund transfer, which would give local governments more money to work with for public transit, road repairs and other projects.

"We will continue to be open to that," said Morneau.

In Kitchener, city staff have predicted a 10-year facilities infrastructure funding gap of $227 million.

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer spoke with The Morning Edition during a stop in August, when he told CBC the Conservatives have pledged to be "full partners in funding municipal infrastructure making sure that public transit is a priority."

Green Party leader Elizabeth May told CBCin September"in terms of energy infrastructure we need an electricity grid... that provides 100 per cent renewable energy to everyone, and allows one province to sell to the other."

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and People's Party Leader Maxime Bernier have not been to the region since the election campaign got underway.