How Trudeau won against the odds
Rising star Jagmeet Singh will have an opportunity to shape the Liberal government’s policies
Rising star Jagmeet Singh will have a say in Liberal’s policies
The Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been returned to power in Ottawa for another four years — but will have to rely on the support of smaller parties. Falling about a dozen seats short of an overall majority of 170, Trudeau will likely have to reach an accommodation with Jagmeet Singh, leader of the left-leaning New Democrats, on a programme for government. Here’s what that scenario may entail for Canadians over the next four years:
DEAL OR NO DEAL?
The immediate choice facing Justin Trudeau is to consider his options. He can try to go it alone, some 13 seats short of a majority. That’s a tough ask, and he’s more likely to consider a deal with the New Democrats. The left-leaning party led by Jagmeet Singh won 24 seats, down from the 37 it won in 2015. That cost of support may be spending more to combat climate change, more to reduce student debt, more for social housing, and more to reduce the high cost of mobile phone bills.
WHAT’S THE MAIN PRIORITY?
While the Conservatives did win some 200,000 votes than the Liberals, most Canadians cast votes for parties with progressive policies on the environment and combatting climate change. The Liberals want to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and exceed carbon emission goals by 2020.
The New Democrats want to
invest C$15 billion (Dh42 billion) in climate change measures and end subsidies to the oil and gas industry.
LOOKING AFTER CANADIANS’ HEALTH
Any government support deal will mean a blend of these policies — and soon.
Both the Liberals and the New Democrats share a general philosophy of looking after less fortunate Canadians. That’s a theme that will see both parties quickly agree on plans for a national pharma care policy, where prescription drugs will be supplied on a reduced-cost basis for all who live in Canada longer than three months. It already has free medical care for all. Both parties campaigned on the promise of cheaper medication for all.
LOOKING AFTER CANADIANS’ WEALTH
There is a shortage of affordable homes in Canada, a situation exacerbated in the Greater Vancouver Area with homes snapped up by foreign buyers.
The Liberals are proposing a 1 per cent tax on non-resident foreign buyers and want to give first-time purchasers up to 10 per cent off a house. The NDP want to create 500,000 units of affordable housing over the next decade and they to want to implement a foreign buyer’s tax.
One touchstone issue for Canadians
in the election campaign has been the high cost of mobile phone bills. Because Canada is the world’s second largest country by size and has a relatively small population of just 37 million, the physical infrastructure of mobile phone service is high. Both the Liberals and New Democrats promised to tackle this issue if elected. Now it becomes a priority for action.
DEALING WITH THE NEIGHBOURS
Some 90 per cent of Canadians live within 200 kilometres
of the US border, its economy is largely focused on the US and Washington is Ottawa’s key strategic partner. But relations with the current administration in Washington are strained.
Trudeau has renegotiated a new free trade deal with the Trump administration and for now will adopt a caution waitand-see attitude until the next US presidential election. And that will suit the left-leaning NDP just fine.
WELCOME TO CANADA
Both the Liberals and New
Democrats are parties that encourage large-scale immigration to Canada. In 2018 alone, Canada’s population rose by more than half a million — immigrants welcomed by a government that promotes and welcomes new arrivals to bolster the economy and counter an aging workforce.
There’s no reason for the Liberals to change that policy, and as far as the New Democrats are concerned, they want to remove the cap on family reunification applications. They also want to suspend the safe third-country agreement with the US.