FEDS NEED THE NDP: SINGH.
Universal pharmacare on top of agenda
OTTAWA • NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh insisted the Liberal minority government needs support from New Democrats if it wants to move forward on progressive national programs like pharmacare after a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday.
Singh claimed the NDP has a strong hand to play in this minority Parliament, even though the Liberals need support from only one of the three main opposition parties. His meeting with Trudeau comes on the heels of a meeting between the prime minister and Bloc Québécois Leader YvesFrançois Blanchet on Wednesday, where Blanchet signalled his party is ready to work with the government.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting in Ottawa, Singh tried to discount the Bloc, suggesting the sovereigntist party will only prop up the government on issues that benefit Quebec.
“If they want to pass something national that benefits all Canadians, they’ve got really two options for a national party. They can choose to work with the Conservatives. … Or they can work with us,” he said. “If they want to pass a bill that’s progressive, that puts in place something that’s national, that’s going to benefit all Canadians, they have to work with New Democrats.”
Singh said he laid out his priorities to Trudeau, including a universal pharmacare program, national dental care and action on climate change. He also wants the government to drop an appeal of a recent Canadian
Human Rights Tribunal ruling that ordered Ottawa to pay up to $40,000 each to Indigenous children who were unnecessarily placed in foster care starting in 2006.
He said he was willing to vote against the upcoming throne speech, scheduled for Dec. 5, if the Liberals don’t show “an openness to work with” the NDP.
Singh’s confidence belies the fact that the Liberals have several dancing partners to choose from to move their agenda forward. With 157 seats, the Liberals need 13 additional votes to survive confidence votes and pass legislation. Those votes could come from the Conservatives, the NDP or the Bloc Québécois. The NDP was bumped to fourth place in the House of Commons during the last election, winning just 24 seats while the Bloc took 32 ridings in Quebec.
After his meeting with Trudeau Wednesday, Blanchet made clear he’s in no mood to try and bring down this government anytime soon. He said he expects to agree with many parts of the throne speech. “There are elements that could bring together just about everybody in Parliament,” he told reporters. “And if that’s the case, there’s no question for me of trying to play political games, trying to find problems when there aren’t any.”
Ahead of his meeting with Singh on Thursday morning, Trudeau listed a number of areas where he felt the two parties could work together, including climate change, affordability, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and pharmacare.
Afterward, Singh told reporters he wants to see “clear timelines” from Trudeau on a plan to implement a national pharmacare program. The Liberals promised to implement universal pharmacare during the election campaign, but the commitment was light on details. The NDP plans to introduce a private member’s bill on implementing pharmacare as its first order of business when Parliament is back in session.
Singh also said he wants “concrete action on the climate crisis,” including an end to fossil fuel subsidies, tougher greenhouse gas emissions targets, and accountability mechanisms to ensure that targets are met.
He said he raised a number of other priorities for the NDP, including removing interest on federal student loans and capping the cost of cellphone and internet services. “I’m hopeful after the meeting that there’s an opportunity for us to work together to deliver for Canadians,” he said.
But the two leaders did not find common ground on the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling. “(Trudeau) did not make a commitment at this point to drop the appeal,” Singh said, adding that he will continue to pressure the government on the matter.
He also said they agreed to disagree on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, which the NDP opposes. “He knows, and he said very clearly, ‘I know that you’re going to oppose and you’ll continue to be opposed,’” Singh said.
The NDP leader said he is “ready anytime” for another election, but avoided drawing any lines in the sand that would lead his party to try and take down the government.
Trudeau is meeting with all the opposition leaders this week as he prepares to govern in a minority Parliament. He met with Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer on Tuesday, and will meet with former Green party Leader Elizabeth May on Friday.
THEY CAN CHOOSE TO WORK WITH THE CONSERVATIVES. … OR THEY CAN WORK WITH US.