As Tories, NDP, Greens Debate, Trudeau Accused of Ducking Record

Opposition leaders attack an absent Trudeau as well as each other

(L-R) Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh take part during the Maclean's/Citytv National Leaders Debate in Toronto on Sept. 13, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

OTTAWA—An absent Justin Trudeau was the primary target for opposition leaders Thursday during the first debate of the federal election campaign, but his rivals managed to bloody one another as well.

Trudeau gave the Maclean’s/Citytv debate a pass, preferring to spend his time at a rally in Edmonton. Even before they took to the debate stage in Toronto, his rivals accused Trudeau of cowardice, afraid to defend what they described as his abysmal record.