Canada opposition chief lashes "partying" PM Trudeau as election race tightens

OTTAWA - The head of Canada's opposition Conservatives, facing possible election defeat, on Monday stepped up his attacks on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, portraying him as a scandal-hit party goer obsessed with keeping power.

Recent polls show Trudeau's ruling Liberals have recovered from early setbacks and could eke out another minority government in the snap Sept 20 election he called to gain voter approval for how he handled the COVID-19 pandemic. Conservative leader Erin O'Toole, an ex-air force helicopter navigator, noted photos of a young Trudeau dressed in blackface at parties had emerged during the 2019 election race.