UPDATE 1-Canada's Trudeau says more gun control needed after Toronto area shootings

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday promised tougher action on gun control if he is re-elected next month after a recent string of deadly shootings near Toronto, Canada's biggest city. "Far too many communities and families are facing terrible tragedies because of gun violence and it is really important that a government show leadership on that," Trudeau told reporters during a campaign stop outside Toronto. Canadians head to the polls on Oct. 21.

The Toronto area has been rocked by recent gun violence. On Saturday, a 17-year-old was killed by gunfire in the community of Mississauga and five other people were wounded. Another person was killed early Monday morning in a shooting on a major highway in Brampton. All parties are aiming to make gains in and around Toronto in the election. Toronto mayor John Tory has repeatedly called for a handgun ban to help reduce gun violence in the metropolitan area.

Trudeau has so far refused to say if his Liberal Party would impose such a ban. But he vowed he would have more to say about gun control later in the campaign. In a radio interview on Monday, Trudeau accused the Conservative Party, his main opponent, of being "in the pocket of the gun lobby."

Conservative Party spokesman Simon Jefferies, in a statement on Monday, said party leader Andrew Scheer and the Conservative Party will always defend responsible, law-abiding firearm owners. "We believe that we must take a thoughtful, serious approach to this issue and pursue measures that actually reduce crime," he said.

Last year, Scheer promised to put more police officers on the streets, a crackdown on gangs, and develop tougher background checks for new gun owners and better information-sharing to track guns used in crimes. Trudeau's comments marked the start of what is expected to be a full week of campaign announcements by all five political parties in an election where polls show the Liberals are facing a tight reelection battle.

Trudeau, who first came to power in 2015, also promised in his comments that a re-elected Liberal government would create up to 250,000 more spaces for before- and after-school childcare while reducing parents' fees by 10%. On Sunday, the Conservatives, who plan to focus their campaign on the economy and affordability, promised Canadians a "universal" tax cut. The tax rate for those with an annual income under C$47,630 ($35,958) would be progressively reduced to 13.75% from 15%.

Such a tax cut would cost more than C$7 billion per year starting in 2028, according to estimates from the Parliamentary Budget Officer. 

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