Tom Mulcair brings his 'Campaign for Change' rally to Halifax

With exactly 50 days to go until Canadians cast their ballots, NDP Leader Tom Mulcaircampaigned in Halifax as his political rivals took a day off from the trail.

The party leader held a rally at the at the World Trade and Convention Centre that was attended by an estimated 1,000 party supporters.

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"Halifax, are you ready to bring change to Ottawa?" Mulcair said.

Mulcairwas joined at the rally by two of Nova Scotia's three NDP incumbents, as well as candidates from other Nova Scotia ridings.

Mulcairrepeated his campaign promises to implement a $15 per day childcare program, increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, lower taxes for small and medium-sized business and increaseguaranteed income forvulnerable seniors.

"We'll work hard to help families get ahead and we will help lift 200,000 seniors out of poverty. These are our priorities," he said.

NDP supporter Lisa Bland said she was quite pleased with her first ever rally.

"As a new family, I'm really hoping he can bring something for the middle class, because we've not gotten ahead in quite a long time and the middle class today is struggling in a way that he middle class 30 years ago wasn't." she said.

Local promises

For Nova Scotia, Mulcair said his party protect the marine environment and costal communities and stimulate the local economy.

Mulcair's speech came as the Conservatives and Liberals claimed the NDP had to account for substantial gaps between spending promises and their pledge to balance the budget.

Mulcairtold reporters the move was a "sign of desperation" and an attempt to distract from the real issues.

"Like the fact that Stepher Harper has run up a $150 billionin debt while he's been the prime minister of Canada, the fact that 400,000 manufacturing job lost have been lost under Mr. Harper's watch," Mulcair said.

"Canadians know that the NDP has the best track record for balanced budgets of any party in Canada," he said.

Mulcair is the second federal leader to make a stop in Halifax. Conservative Leader Stephen Harper held a rally for his party's local candidate in Amherst on August 16.

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is set to come to Halifax tomorrow and a Liberal spokesperson says Justin Trudeau plans to visit Nova Scotia during the campaign, but can't confirm dates too far in advance.