The 2023 federal budget will probably decide whether the NDP-Liberal deal survives, the NDP financial critic warned. I think the [prochain] The budget will tell us if we’re progressing at a good pace, Daniel Blaikie said in an interview with CBC.
In particular, this agreement provides that the New Democratic Party (NDP) will support the liberal minority government in key votes in the lower house in order not to trigger new elections until 2025.
We will continue to pressure the Trudeau government to stand up for the people […]Dealing with health crises rather than ignoring them, raising the cost of living and supporting rather than supporting corporate greed, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said at the opening of a three-day policy retreat that opens in Ottawa on Wednesday.
He reiterated his support for introducing a special tax on the big profits of companies in full inflation.
“We will push every day for action to be taken to reduce inflation. We will protect the environment, but also improve and expand overall public health care in Canada. »
— A quote from Jagmeet Singh, leader of the NDP
The Liberals will hold a retreat on January 23-25 in Hamilton, Ontario on the Canadian government’s ongoing efforts to make life more affordable and build an economy that the PLC says is focused on the well-being of all Canadians.
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Jenny Kwan, leader of the NDP parliamentary group, says her party wants to ensure the Liberals provide pharmaceutical supplies and support for energy workers who may be affected by federal environmental policies.
Ms Kwan pointed out that her party could even pull out of the deal if the Liberals failed to respect the NDP’s political priorities.
For example, the Liberals pledged to pass Canada’s Pharmacare Act by the end of 2023 and to develop a national prescription and bulk drug plan for essential drugs by 2025.
In 2022, dental coverage was extended to children under 12 whose parents earn less than $90,000, but other commitments remained unresolved.
We expect that to happen in early 2024, Blaikie said.
“This year, the NDP will outline the next steps for a universal national pharmaceutical supply plan. »
— A quote from Jagmeet Singh, leader of the NDP
But the Trudeau government benefits from extenuating circumstances, the NDP agrees. With much of the prep work for budgets being done months in advance, the 2022 budget was largely put together before the MoU was signed, notes Daniel Blaikie.
So the next budget, he says, will tell much of the story of the NDP-Liberal deal.
“This will be an important moment of reflection for our group as we think about the next year and wonder if the government is doing its job well enough. »
– A quote from Daniel Blaikie, financial critic of the NDP
As well as urging the deal to be honored, Mr Blaikie gave assurances that the New Democrats will press the Liberals to fix the healthcare system, something Jagmeet Singh also put forward to his activists on Wednesday.
The specter of privatization
[Justin Trudeau] knows what is happening to the healthcare system is similar to what has happened to long-term care, the NDP leader compared to his inaugural address.
Mr Singh did not fail to point out the liberal complacency regarding the privatization of health services in the Conservative provinces.
On Monday, Ontario’s progressive Conservative government announced its plan to expand the number and range of surgeries offered at for-profit clinics across the province.
Following the announcement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signaled that he was open to ideas on how to provide better healthcare services to Canadians.
Jagmeet Singh did not miss a strong reaction on Wednesday: Apparently [Justin Trudeau]agreed with Doug Ford to sell our healthcare system […] It paves the way for for-profit organizations based on the American model, the leader of the New Democrats was outraged.
Parallel public/private systems will create unfair competition for scarce human resources, the NDP condemned. Canada needs a national health workforce strategy instead, according to the country’s largest union, which has close ties to the NDP.
Canadian Labor Congress President Bea Bruske said such a strategy would help governments across Canada hire, train and retain health workers.
Our public system is in serious trouble and we are calling on all levels of government to work together to ensure Canadians across the country can count on strong public health services, summarized Ms Bruske, who will also speak at the NDP group on Wednesday .
With information from David Thurton, CBC and The Canadian Press