NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh lays out 'urgent priorities' for a minority parliament
OTTAWA—Having already ruled out supporting a minority government led by the Conservatives, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is laying out his most "urgent priorities" for whoever else takes power after the election.
Speaking in Ottawa across the Rideau Canal from Parliament on Thursday morning, Singh said he is running to become prime minister, but that he wants Canadians to know that New Democrats will push for a host of immediate issues regardless of who wins the most seats on Oct. 21.
"These are our terms of what we're going to fight for," Singh said, stating they will be conditions for supporting another party in a minority parliament.
"Whoever wants to sit down with us has to take seriously and has to deliver action on these things before we can move forward."
Singh said his six priorities are:
Universal, public pharmacare for all Canadians and public dental care for those that earn less than $70,000 per year. The NDP platform promised $10 billion per year to work with the provinces and set up a system to cover prescription medication for all Canadians by the end of 2020. "People cannot afford to wait another four years, or longer," Singh said Thursday.
More affordable housing. The NDP has called for an extra $5 billion in the next year and a half to start building 500,000 new affordable housing units. Singh said the NDP also wants to see a foreign buyer's tax imposed across the country to curb speculation in the housing market.
Waive the interest on federal student loans.
"Bold action" to fight climate change. Singh said Thursday this should include more stringent targets for emissions reduction, the immediate elimination of federal fossil fuel subsidies, and help for workers transitioning out of these industries.
Implementation of the NDP's "super wealth tax." The NDP wants a new 1 per cent tax on all wealth — property, stocks, income, and more — that exceeds $20 million.
Cap cell phone and internet bills. Singh also underscored the NDP's desire to change the electoral system to make it more proportional to the popular vote, as well as increased spending for infrastructure and services for Indigenous communities, but did not include this as one of his urgent demands.
"Our six commitments are the urgent things we need to fix right away," he explained. "If you vote New Democrat, you'll get someone who is going to fight for these things."
Weeks ago, before the campaign officially started, the NDP ruled out supporting a Conservative minority government led by Andrew Scheer over "disgust" with his past statements against same-sex marriage.
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