OTTAWA — Stephen Harper is expected to use a speech this afternoon to a large Muslim gathering in the greater Toronto area to trumpet a new economic report that he says validates his government's policies.
Harper will address the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at, Canada's largest national Islamic convention, which kicks off a three-day conference in Mississauga.
The Department of Finance's monthly Fiscal Monitor reports a $5-billion surplus for the April-to-June period this year.
The prime minister says in a written statement that means his Conservative government is ahead of the game on its budget plan.
Harper isn't doing any formal campaigning, and is taking the rest of the day in Toronto to shoot new television commercials.
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau are campaigning in Montreal, where they continued their argument over which party has the best economic plan for the country.