OTTAWA — Stephen Harper is dodging questions about a possible recession a day before the release of new economic numbers which are expected to show a second quarter of negative growth.
Technically, two consecutive quarters of shrinking GDP signal a recession, but the prime minister isn't talking about that.
He is running on his party's economic stewardship and says he won't get into a discussion of economic technicalities.
He says the economic contraction is focused almost entirely in the oil and gas sector and much of the rest of the economy is still growing.
Harper adds that the real economic threat comes from his political opponents and their spending plans, which he says mean deficits and tax increases.
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has no campaign events planned for today, while NDP Leader Tom Mulcair begins the day in Saskatchewan before moving on to British Columbia.