Liberals Aim to Contrast Themselves With Conservatives on Health Care
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Halifax yesterday, announcing that a re-elected Liberal government would invest $6 billion to eliminate health care waitlists across the country and $3.2 billion to help hire 7,500 family doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners. The Prime Minister also committed to providing $400 million over 4 years to expand virtual health care services.
The announcement comes after the Prime Minister criticized Erin O’Toole for comments he made during the Conservative leadership race regarding the integration of private healthcare within Canada's universal healthcare system. At a campaign stop in Miramichi on Sunday, the Prime Minister stated: “We just saw today that Erin O’Toole, in the pandemic, came out clearly in favour of a private, for-profit healthcare system for Canada.”
The Prime Minister was referring to a post circulated by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland that featured O’Toole agreeing with the proposition of allowing provinces to experiment with the provision of private options inside of universal coverage.
O’Toole responded to the post on Monday stating: “I 100% support our public and universal health care system. In fact, it’s been the backbone we have relied on throughout the pandemic.”
NDP Pledges to Eliminate Subsidies for the Fossil Fuel Industry
From Montreal, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh committed to eliminating all subsidies for Canada's fossil fuel industry on Monday. Standing on the location where climate activist Greta Thunberg made her remarks in 2019, Singh criticized the Liberal government for its lack of action on climate change. “What we’ve seen at a federal level is not a lack of resources or finances, it’s been a lack of commitment. A lack of will” Singh said. The New Democratic Party leader also committed to creating a $500 million, Indigenous-led, fund for conservation projects.
O’Toole Pledges to ‘Level the Playing Field’ Between Workers and Multinational Corporations
Erin O’Toole was back in Ottawa on Monday announcing that a Conservative government would “level the playing field” between workers and multinational corporations. O’Toole announced the Conservatives would require federally regulated employers with over 1,000 employees or $100 million in annual revenue to include worker representation on their boards of directors. “Our recovery plan will give workers a real voice,” said O’Toole.
Since becoming Conservative leader, O’Toole has made a determined effort to woo Canada’s unions. The Conservative platform continues this push by outlining a number of policies aimed at supporting ‘working Canadians,’ including:
- Making changes to Canada Labour Code to remove barriers that prevent unions from organizing within large employers “with a history of anti-labour activity.”
- Giving unions standing at the Canada International Trade Tribunal
- Ensuring that federally funded infrastructure projects use materials from Canadian companies, or from countries with which Canada has an agreement to supply “each other’s infrastructure projects.”
Blanchet Outlines Plan to Combat Ethics Violations
Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet was in Trois-Rivières on Monday outlining his party’s plan to combat conflict of interest and ethics violations. The Bloc Québécois leader committed to tabling an ethics bill that would empower the Ethics Commissioner to impose fines up to $10,000, with the “possibility of going beyond that.” Blanchet’s plan also calls for the government to:
- Re-establish public funding of political parties and,
- Establish a non-partisan process for appointing judges through the creation of a new committee.
Annamie Paul Wants a Culture Change in Ottawa
Speaking from Toronto, Green Party leader Annamie Paul said if there is one thing she would work to change as a Member of Parliament, it would be the “culture of parliament, and the culture of work in the House of Commons.” Paul stated the culture in Ottawa -- including harmful partisanship -- chases people away, or prevents them from running for office. “The price is simply too high for service,” Paul stated.
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