Conservatives, NDP to release platforms on same day

The Conservatives and NDP will unveil their election platforms today, offering theircompeting visions to Canadian voters with less than two weeks to go in the federal election campaign.

• Campaign promises from the federal parties
• Liberal platform promises help for students, infrastructure spending and tax changes
• NDP releases campaign platform targeted at Toronto
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CBC News has learned the Conservative platform iscoming this latein part because the party was waiting for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade negotiations to conclude.

Representatives from Canada and 11 other countries reached thedealto create the largest-ever regional trading blocfourdays ago in Atlanta.

Trade Minister Ed Fast told members of the Vancouver Board of Trade yesterday his officials estimate the TPP will bring in $3.5 billioninto the economyonce it's ratified.

The accord is expected to take severalyears to complete.

Throughout the campaign, Conservative LeaderStephen Harper has focused heavily on what he calls his party's "low tax, balanced budget" plan to keep the economy on track.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair has promised to balance the federal budget in the first year of a New Democratic mandate while investing billions in infrastructure.

The Liberals were the first major party to unveil their platform earlier this week. Liberal LeaderJustin Trudeau has said a Liberal government would run three consecutive deficits of up to $10 billion to invest in infrastructure projects.