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Richard Cannings

Affordability & Childcare

Cell & Internet Bills

NDP's promise

Place a price cap on cell phone & Internet bills; Require providers to offer a basic plan for wireless & broadband that is comparable w/ affordable plans in other countries; Require companies to offer unlimited wireless data options at affordable rates; Ban data caps for broadband Internet; Introduce a Telecom Consumers' Bill of Rights.

That’s why, until the industry becomes more competitive, we’ll put in place a price cap to make sure that Canadians aren’t paying more than the global average for their cell phone and internet bills.

Expanding cell coverage and delivering reliable, affordable broadband internet to every community in Canada is vital to the economic future of rural Canada and remote communities. But it has been ignored by successive governments for far too long. That’s why we believe that we need to act urgently to close the digital divide now, not ten years from now as the Liberal government proposed. We are committed to declaring high-speed internet an essential service and making sure that every Canadian has access to affordable, reliable high-speed broadband within four years. This will include taking the first steps to create a Crown corporation to ensure the delivery of quality, affordable telecom services to every community.

In addition, we’ll make sure that providers offer a basic plan for wireless and broadband that is comparable with the affordable plans that are available in other countries. To put an end to surprise bills, we’ll require companies to offer unlimited wireless data options at affordable rates, as exist elsewhere in the world, and abolish data caps for broadband internet.

And finally, to protect Canadians from unfair wireless and internet sales and services practices, we’ll introduce a Telecom Consumers’ Bill of Rights and put an end to gouging for good.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Childcare

NDP's promise

Introduce legislation committing to high-quality, public childcare; Provide relief funding to re-open spaces lost from COVID-19 at not-for-profit childcare centres at risk of closure; Work with the provinces to build a universal, $10 a day childcare system; Ensure childcare workers are paid a living wage.

Employment Insurance

NDP's promise

Extend EI Sickness Benefits to 50 weeks; Introduce a low income supplement so no one receiving EI regular or special benefits receives less than $2K/mo; Make EI available to people who have quit their jobs to go back to school, provide childcare, or protect their or their family's health; Prevent government from raiding the EI Operating Account; Double leave for parents of multiples.

To help make ends meet while on EI, we’ll create a low income supplement so that no one who is relying on EI regular or special benefits to stay afloat receives less than $2,000 a month.

Particularly in the midst of a global health crisis, New Democrats know that there are circumstances where people leave a job voluntarily but still need support. That’s why we would make EI available to people who quit their jobs to go back to school, to provide necessary childcare, or to protect their health or the health of immunocompromised family members.

For many Canadians who need EI when they’re dealing with an illness, the current system falls far short and doesn’t provide the kind of help people actually need. To make sure that Canadians can count on EI when they’re dealing with a serious illness, a New Democrat government will extend sickness benefits from 15 to 50 weeks, and create a pilot project to allow workers with episodic illnesses and disabilities to access EI sickness benefits a day at a time, as they need them. This flexibility will help support those who want to continue to work while providing the seriously ill with the benefits they need.

New Democrats also understand that seasonal workers face particular challenges accessing EI. To help Canadians in seasonal industries bridge the gap between the end of EI and the start of seasonal work, we’ll bring back the former Extra Five Weeks pilot project and make it permanent, and we will restore the economic regions in the territories and PEI to their 2014 boundaries.

Parental leave should be available for all Canadian families, in the way that works best for them. Eighteen months of leave is an attractive option for many parents, but not many Canadians can afford to live on just 33 percent of their salary. New Democrats will bring in a new special leave that allows parents to take shorter parental leave at a higher replacement rate. We’ll also allow self-employed workers to opt-into parental benefits at any time before taking the leave, and move to double leave for parents of multiples.

Finally, we will also protect the EI Operating Account in law, so that future governments can’t raid it for general revenue. Premiums, which are currently at a historic low, will be frozen until the economy recovers.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

For Canadians facing a serious illness, we’ll make Employment Insurance work better by extending sickness benefits to 50 weeks of coverage, and creating a pilot project to allow workers with episodic disabilities to access benefits as they need them.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Food & Nutrition

NDP's promise

Partner with provinces, territories, municipalities, & Indigenous communities to work towards a national school nutrition programme to give every child access to healthy food and food literacy skills.

New Democrats will partner with provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous communities to work towards a national school nutrition program that will give every child in Canada access to healthy food, and the food literacy skills to make healthy choices for life. We’ll aim to make culturally- appropriate food available to children in every community in Canada, so that all children can grow and learn.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Gas Prices

NDP's promise

Create a Fair Gasoline Prices Watchdog to investigate complaints about price gouging; Allow the Competition Bureau to proactively investigate alleged anti-competitiveness in the gasoline market.

Guaranteed Livable Income

NDP's promise

Expand income security programmes for seniors and people living with disabilities; Work towards a Guaranteed Livable Income for every Canadian.

We’ll start this work immediately by lifting every senior and person living with a disability out of poverty, and build from there until every Canadian can count on a basic livable income when they need it. This will be complimented by bold new investments in housing, health care, post-secondary education and training to set all Canadians up to succeed.

In time, New Democrats will work to expand all income security programs to ensure everyone in Canada has access to a guaranteed livable basic income. Making the creation of a guaranteed livable basic income a priority will strengthen our social safety net and finally ensure dignity, security and peace of mind for everyone in Canada.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Living in the North

NDP's promise

Reform the Nutrition North programme in partnership with northern communities, to improve food security.

Minimum Wage

NDP's promise

Put in place a federal minimum wage starting at $15/hour and rising to $20/hour, indexed to the cost of living.

People with Disabilities

NDP's promise

Work with Autistic Canadians to develop and implement a national Autism strategy to coordinate support for research, ensure access to needs-based services, promote employment, & help expand housing options.

Climate Change & the Environment

Animal Protection

NDP's promise

Curb the import & domestic trade of wild animals.

Carbon Pricing

NDP's promise

Continue to increase the federal carbon price by $15/tonne each year, reaching $170/tonne by 2030.

Putting a price on carbon has been an important tool in efforts to drive emissions reductions. We will continue with carbon pricing while making it fairer and rolling back loopholes this Liberal government has given to big polluters. But we also recognize that carbon pricing won’t be enough to tackle the climate crisis. Further action is needed.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Conservation

NDP's promise

Introduce an Environmental Bill of Rights; Strengthen the Canadian Environmental Protection Act; Protect 30% of Canada's land, freshwater, and oceans by 2030; Create a new Civilian Climate Corps to mobilise young people & create jobs supporting conservation efforts; Launch a 10-year plan to reverse species loss; Restrict trade of wild animals; Expand the Indigenous Guardians Programme.

New Democrats are committed to expanding protections for our natural environment, beginning with enshrining the right to a healthy environment in a Canadian Environmental Bill of Rights, to ensure all communities can enjoy a guarantee to clean water, land and air. We will strengthen the Canadian Environmental Protection Act – building and improving on the government’s Bill C-28 – to better protect Canadians from toxic substances in everyday products like cosmetics. And we will strengthen the federal environmental impact assessment process for new coal mines and mine expansion projects. We know that taking action to protect our environment will also support people’s health – with recent projections showing that the impacts of climate change could cost Canada’s healthcare system billions of dollars over the coming decades.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

And a new Civilian Climate Corps would mobilize young people and create new jobs supporting conservation efforts and addressing the threat of climate change by undertaking activities such as helping restore wetlands, and planting the billions of trees that need to be planted in the years ahead.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

We are committed to pursuing a Nature agenda, anchored by our commitment to safeguarding ecosystems and biodiversity by protecting 30% of our land, freshwater and oceans by 2030. We will expand urban national parks and restore urban biodiversity, and ensure the Species at Risk Act is enforced. We will launch a 10-year nature plan to reverse species loss and we would curb the import and domestic trade of wild animals. We will further protect our oceans and our freshwater, by reducing emissions from shipping and fishing, expanding marine protected areas, reducing key threats to ocean ecosystems and implementing a national freshwater strategy. And we will support Indigenous-led nature conservation and land-use and climate planning, including by growing the Indigenous Guardians Program and working hand-in-hand to advance the protection and restoration of wild Pacific salmon populations on the west coast.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Effects of Climate Change

NDP's promise

Create a National Crisis Strategy to help communities plan for & respond to climate risks; Create a new Climate Corps of young workers to respond to climate impacts; Create an Office of Environmental Justice to address disproportionate impacts of pollution & loss of biodiversity on low-income, racialised, & other marginalised communities; Expand funding for adaptation & disaster response.

We will work with provinces, municipalities and Indigenous government to make sure that communities have the resources they need to cope safely with extreme weather events. This National Crisis Strategy will help communities plan for and adapt to the changing climate and the weather extremes we are already facing – particularly for vulnerable, remote, and Indigenous communities. The strategy would be supported with long-term funding for adaptation, disaster mitigation, and climate resilient infrastructure.

And a new Civilian Climate Corps would mobilize young people and create new jobs supporting conservation efforts and addressing the threat of climate change by undertaking activities such as helping restore wetlands, and planting the billions of trees that need to be planted in the years ahead.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

As the impacts of climate change are felt across the country, New Democrats believe that all levels of government have to step up to help communities cope with the impacts of extreme weather. That’s why a New Democrat government will expand federal funding to respond to disasters, and support communities in proactively adapting their infrastructure to withstand floods, forest fires and other extreme weather events. We will also partner with Canadians and communities to make serious investments in making buildings more energy efficient, to help families save money and fight climate change.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Emissions Reductions Targets

NDP's promise

Set a target to reduce emissions by at least 50% from 2005 levels by 2030; Put in place carbon budgets; Create a Climate Accountability Office; Ensure government financial controls and Crown corporations are aligned with net-zero; Appoint a Climate Emergency Committee of Cabinet; Establish a Climate Emergency Secretariat in the PMO.

C-12 was a step in the right direction, but it was not the bill New Democrats would have written. New Democrats are committed to helping stabilize the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. To that end we will set a target of reducing Canada’s emissions by at least 50% from 2005 levels by 2030, reaching further wherever possible to account for Canada’s fair share. We know that reaching net-zero by 2050 means taking action now, during the term of this next Parliament. We will work with partners to establish multi-year national and sectoral carbon budgets as a key guiding framework to develop Canada’s path to 2030 and beyond. And we will create and fund a Climate Accountability Office, to provide independent oversight of federal climate progress, to engage the public, and to make recommendations on how to achieve our goals.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Building on net net-zero legislation will also be a priority for a New Democratic government. We will support Canada’s net-zero target by reviewing financial legislation, such as the Bank of Canada Act, the Export Development Canada Act, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act, to ensure federal financial levers and Crown corporations are aligned with the goal of net-zero. We will work with provinces to put in place a framework for corporate climate accountability to ensure mandatory transparency on carbon risk from publicly traded companies. And we will ensure that strict rules are in place to prevent big companies from using the purchase of offsets as a way to escape their net-zero obligations.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

And we will appoint a Climate Emergency Committee of Cabinet and establish astrong (sic) Climate Emergency Secretariat in the PMO to ensure a whole-of-government approach to responding to the climate emergency.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Energy Efficient Buildings

NDP's promise

Retrofit all buildings in Canada by 2050, beginning with retrofitting all buildings built before 2020 within the next 20 years; Require large scale building retrofits in all sectors; Provide low-interest loans to help people make home improvements for energy efficiency & air quality; By 2025, require every new building to be net-zero.

At the current pace, it will take 142 years to retrofit all low-rise residential buildings in Canada. New Democrats will undertake a mission-based approach, setting an ambitious retrofitting program to upgrade where people live and work, including requiring large scale building retrofits in all sectors. And we will set a target of retrofitting all buildings in Canada by 2050 – beginning with upgrades to all buildings built before 2020 in the next 20 years. Helping families make energy efficient improvements to their homes through low-interest loans help save families almost $900 or more per year on home energy costs. Targeted supports would be provided to low- income households and to renters. Supporting retrofits to improve indoor air quality will also help prevent further waves of COVID-19.

We will work with provinces, municipalities and Indigenous government to make sure that communities have the resources they need to cope safely with extreme weather events. This National Crisis Strategy will help communities plan for and adapt to the changing climate and the weather extremes we are already facing – particularly for vulnerable, remote, and Indigenous communities. The strategy would be supported with long-term funding for adaptation, disaster mitigation, and climate resilient infrastructure.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

We’ll improve the National Building Code to ensure that by 2025 every new building built in Canada is net-zero. Energy efficiency and sustainable building practices will be at the core of our national housing strategy, leveraging the power of federal investments to create good jobs all across the country delivering the affordable homes Canadians need.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Energy Grid

NDP's promise

Establish a Canadian Climate Bank to support interested provinces to interconnect power grids and start using smart grid technology.

The International Energy Agency has called on governments throughout the world to dramatically speed up efforts to build renewable energy. New Democrats will set a target to power Canada with net-zero electricity by 2030, and move to 100% non-emitting electricity by 2040. To drive this progress, we will establish a new Canadian Climate Bank that will help boost investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency and low carbon technology across the country. It will also provide support for interested provinces to inter-connect power grids and introduce smart grid technology, to bolster Canada’s energy security and distribute clean power across the country. The Climate Bank will also support made-in-Canada manufacturing of renewable energy components and technologies, and help scale up Canada’s clean energy industry.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Energy Sources

NDP's promise

Set a target of net carbon-free electricity by 2030; Set a target of 100% non-emitting electricity by 2040; Establish a Canadian Climate Bank to invest in renewable energy, energy efficiency, & low-carbon tech, and support Canadian manufacturing of renewable energy components; Support investments in community-owned clean energy projects.

The International Energy Agency has called on governments throughout the world to dramatically speed up efforts to build renewable energy. New Democrats will set a target to power Canada with net-zero electricity by 2030, and move to 100% non-emitting electricity by 2040. To drive this progress, we will establish a new Canadian Climate Bank that will help boost investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency and low carbon technology across the country. It will also provide support for interested provinces to inter-connect power grids and introduce smart grid technology, to bolster Canada’s energy security and distribute clean power across the country. The Climate Bank will also support made-in-Canada manufacturing of renewable energy components and technologies, and help scale up Canada’s clean energy industry.

Meeting this carbon-free electricity goal in a way that respects local communities and creates good jobs is essential. We’ll support investments in innovative community-owned and operated clean energy projects to keep jobs and expertise local, work in partnership with Indigenous and northern communities to move off diesel, improving energy security and cutting emissions and air pollution.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Fossil Fuel Subsidies

NDP's promise

Eliminate fossil fuel subsidies and redirect the funding to low carbon initiatives; Place a legislative ban on any future oil, gas, and pipeline subsidies.

Green Innovation

NDP's promise

Increase funding and incentives to clean tech research & manufacturing; Introduce Buy Canadian government procurement policies for green tech.

Industrial Carbon Emissions

NDP's promise

Place a carbon border adjustment tariff on imported products from areas without a carbon price; Require large businesses receiving COVID recovery funding to agree to plan for net-zero; Put in place joint workplace environment committees to help reduce emissions in every workplace.

As we turn the corner on COVID-19 and build an economic recovery for people, we have a precious opportunity to build back better. New Democrats would ensure that recovery funding is used to support our net-zero objectives. To that end we would ensure that large businesses receiving recovery funding agree to plan for net-zero – and we would ensure those funds go to supporting Canadian jobs, not executives or shareholders.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

We will work to put in place joint workplace environment committees – modelled on the successful joint workplace health and safety committees which have had a major impact on making workplaces safer – to help reduce emissions at the source in every workplace.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Low-Carbon Manufacturing

NDP's promise

Work with governments, business, & labour to create a national industrial strategy for low-carbon manufacturing.

Project Impact Assessments

NDP's promise

Overhaul the review process for major projects to ensure adequate time for public consultation; Provide core funding to support Indigenous communities participating in review processes.

New Democrats also believe in giving Canadians a stronger voice in energy decisions that impact their communities. That’s why we have committed to overhauling the process for reviewing major projects to ensure adequate time for public consultation, and provide core funding to support Indigenous communities participating in these processes.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Shipping & Marine Protection

NDP's promise

Expand marine protected areas; Reduce emissions from shipping & fishing.

Waste

NDP's promise

Immediately ban single-use plastics, while supporting transition of production facilities for single-use plastics to new products; Ban the export of plastic waste; Reduce electronic waste by expanding right-to-repair; Develop a national food waste strategy.

To reduce waste in our landfills and communities, we will immediately ban single-use plastics, while protecting workers in this sector by supporting the transition of these production facilities to new products. We will hold companies responsible for the entire lifecycle of their plastic products and packaging, help municipalities improve their waste management and recycling systems, and support improved standards for what products can be labelled as recyclable. New legislation will also ban the export of plastic waste and help reduce electronic waste by removing unnecessary restrictions preventing people from repairing their devices.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Wildfires

NDP's promise

Make focused investments in forest management to reduce forest fire risk.

Focused investments in forest management will help reduce forest fire risk, and we’ll take steps to encourage innovation in forestry, including valued wood production and re-forestation.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Education

Job Training

NDP's promise

Allow workers who quit a job to go to school to qualify for EI benefits; Require large employers to spend at least 1% of payroll on training for employees each year; Create a new provincially-directed Workers Development and Opportunities Fund to expand training options beyond those who qualify for EI.

New Democrats know that we can do better for all workers. We’re committed to working with the provinces to ensure that Canadians have access to education throughout their professional lives, including proactive training and retraining, as well as support when they are unemployed.

Our vision is one where training opportunities are flexible enough to work with people’s busy lives, and significant enough to really improve job prospects.

To get there, we’ll change EI rules to allow workers who quit their job to go to school to qualify for EI benefits, so that families can count on some income support during that period of transition back to school. We’ll also expand options for workers in designated sectors and regions to take EI funded training in advance of losing a job while at the same time promoting investment to ensure that regional economies are creating good jobs that support families and communities. Finally, to make sure that businesses are investing in the training that Canadians need, a New Democrat government will require large employers to spend at least 1 percent of payroll on training for their employees annually.

In order to deliver these changes, we’ll work closely with the provinces to establish national training priorities, and create a new Workers Development and Opportunities Fund to expand training options beyond people who qualify for EI. This fund will be provincially directed, with dedicated support for marginalized workers, those in transitioning sectors and for efforts to improve literacy and essential skills.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Post-Secondary Tuition

NDP's promise

Work with the provinces & territories to cap & reduce tuition fees; Work towards rolling post-secondary into the public education system; Remove interest on federal student loans; Forgive up to $20,000 in student debt for graduates; Double the Canada Students Grant.

Our vision is for every Canadian to have access to quality post-secondary education, regardless of their income. Over the long term, this means working with the provinces and territories to cap and reduce tuition fees, and building towards making post-secondary education part of our public education system so kids can go from kindergarten to a career without the barrier of cost. This is an important goal and we believe that with the right leadership and political will, we can get there.

There are steps we can take to make education more affordable right now. Five provinces have already shown leadership in eliminating interest rates on student loans. It’s time for the federal government to do the same, and stop profiting from student debt. New Democrats will remove interest from federal student loans, and to help lift the debt burden from young people starting out, we will introduce a targeted debt forgiveness program for graduates that will forgive up to $20,000 in student debt. In the first year alone, this will wipe out 20% of all student debt and help 350,000 borrowers save money every month.

We’ll also move away from loans and permanently double non-repayable Canada Student Grants. Accessing financial support for your post-secondary education shouldn’t be a debt sentence – we’ll make sure that young people can start out in life without a crushing debt burden.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Health & Healthcare

Access to Abortion

NDP's promise

Act immediately to make sure that people can access safe abortion services in all regions; Enforce the Canada Health Act to make sure provinces make medical and surgical abortion available in all parts of the country, without barriers.

Contraception

NDP's promise

Ensure that a full range of prescription contraceptive & reproductive health care options are easily accessible at no cost through Medicare.

Dental Care

NDP's promise

Work with provincial partners, health professionals, & dentists to develop a road-map to including universal dental care into Medicare; Provide immediate dental care coverage for people who don't have any private insurance.

We know now that good oral health is a critical component of overall good health – and that means our health care system should cover it, too. A New Democrat government will work together with provincial partners, health professionals and dentists to develop a roadmap to incorporate universal dental care into Canada’s public health care system, and immediately deliver dental care coverage for people who don’t have any private insurance.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Future Pandemics

NDP's promise

Provide stable, long-term funding for the Public Health Agency of Canada to protect public health and be ready with surge capacity for future crises; Establish a crown corporation to produce vaccines in Canada; Ensure an adequate, responsible-managed stockpile of PPE, with an emphasis on domestic production; Protect the Chief Public Health Officer's independence in law.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed serious weaknesses in Canada’s pandemic preparedness and response capacities. New Democrats will strengthen these system so that Canada is never again unprepared and left behind in a global pandemic. We believe the government should immediately take a leadership role in a federal vaccination strategy to ensure all Canadians can be vaccinated. Moving forward, we’ll provide stable, long-term funding for the Public Health Agency of Canada so they can protect public health and be ready with surge capacity in the event of a crisis.

Canada needs to have the capacity to produce vaccines for public health emergences, a capacity that we lost under Liberal and Conservative governments. New Democrats will establish a crown corporation charged with domestic vaccine production so that Canadians are never again at the back of the line.

To protect medical personnel, patients and essential workers, we’ll ensure that Canada maintains an adequate and responsibly- managed stockpile of personal protective equipment, with an emphasis on supporting domestic production.

During a crisis, it’s more important than ever that Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer be able to speak freely about public health issues to Canadians without the fear of political retribution. We’ll ensure that their independence is protected by law, and require the Chief Public Health Officer to report to parliament annually about recommendations to improve Canada’s public health emergency preparedness.

Finally, Canada is a leader in innovative health research, a field that is more important than ever. We will work with universities and health professionals to make sure that public research on critical health issues continues to flourish. New Democrats will reverse the Liberals’ reckless move to weaken the Global Public Health Intelligence Network, which provides surveillance and early warnings that are critical for managing international public health emergencies like pandemics. The federal government must also step up and regulate natural health products under stand-alone legislation.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Healthcare Access

NDP's promise

Work with provinces & territories to reduce wait times and improve access to primary care; Work with the provinces to develop public infrastructure for secure, accesibile virtual healthcare; Identify coming gaps in health human resources, & make a plan for recruiting & retaining doctors, nurses, & other healthcare professionals.

A New Democrat government will work with the provinces and territories to tackle wait times and improve access to primary care across the country – and we’ll work with the provinces to develop public infrastructure for secure, accessible virtual healthcare. We will identify coming gaps in health human resources and make a plan to recruit and retain the doctors, nurses and other health professionals Canadians need. New Democrats will also work with the provinces and territories to expand and improve access to palliative care across the country.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Menstrual Products

NDP's promise

Work with provinces, territories, & Indigenous governments to end period poverty.

Natural Health Products

NDP's promise

Regulate natural health products with stand-alone legislation.

Palliative Care

NDP's promise

Work with provinces and territories to expand and improve access to palliative care.

Pharmacare

NDP's promise

Work with the provinces to expand Medicare to cover prescription drugs, with a $10B/year federal investment; Develop a national strategy to cover drugs for rare diseases.

New Democrats believe that we must do better. Just as our party led the fight to establish universal public health care for all Canadians, we are leading the fight to expand Medicare – to include quality prescription drug coverage for everyone, regardless of your job, where you live, your age, your health status or how much money you make. We will begin working with the provinces right away to target a 2022 start date, with an annual federal investment of $10 billion.

This will go hand in hand with developing a national strategy to cover drugs for rare diseases, so that coverage is no longer determined by where you live or what private insurance your family has, as is currently the case.

A national pharmacare program means access to necessary medicines and medical devices in the same way that we currently have access to medical and hospital care – free at the point of care, financed by a public insurance system that covers everyone. It means that you’ll need your health card – not your credit card – at the pharmacy till. And it puts an end to costly co-payments, deductibles and premiums that cost families hundreds and even thousands a year.

Making prescription drugs more affordable saves everyone money. Seniors, families and young people get a break. Small businesses who want to provide coverage for drug costs are able to do it. Negotiating prices with big pharmaceutical companies brings down prices for everyone – saving money in our health care system that can be used to improve care.

Our plan will guarantee that every Canadian can get the medication they need. And it will mean big savings for employers who currently pay for employee benefits, helping to reward good employers and boost economic growth. It will also cost our system less overall, as a result of pooling the purchasing power of the entire country – freeing up much-needed funds for the provinces to re-invest in improving healthcare.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Housing & Homelessness

Homelessness

NDP's promise

Fully implement the right to housing; Work toward ending homelessness in Canada within a decade; Support the creation of more social housing & other affordable options; Work with provinces & municipalities to fast-track the purchase, lease, & conversion of hotels & motels for emergency housing relief until more permanent solutions are available; Expand income security programs.

We need the courage – and meaningful action – to build a Canada without poverty, where all Canadians can count on quality public services and community supports to help them lead dignified lives. A core component of our approach is fully implementing the right to housing, and working toward the goal of ending homelessness in Canada within a decade. In a country as wealthy as Canada, there is no excuse to leave any Canadian living in poverty or without a safe roof over their head.

Our affordable housing strategy will include measures to support Canadians at risk of becoming homeless, taking the lead from communities about local needs and adopting a “housing first” approach. To help people find an affordable home in the long term, we will support the creation of more social housing and other affordable options. To deliver help to the most vulnerable right away, we’ll also work with the provinces and municipalities to fast-track the purchase, lease and conversion of hotels and motels for emergency housing relief until more permanent, community-based solutions are available.

Poor health and poverty are linked, and a national pharmacare program will mean that all Canadians can access the prescription medicine they need, regardless of their income or address. Better access to mental health and addictions support will also form a key part of our approach to tackling poverty.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen that it is possible for the government to step up and provide basic income to Canadians in difficult circumstances, and that this support can be transformational. That’s why New Democrats will begin work to expand income security programs, beginning with seniors and people living with disabilities, to build towards a future where all individuals residing in Canada have access to a guaranteed livable basic income.

We also know that developing a national, public, universal child care program is critical for lifting women and their families out of poverty, and an important way to give all kids a good start in early learning.

Finally, making sure that all Canadians can access healthy, affordable food is a cornerstone of our Canadian food strategy. A national school nutrition program will make sure that no child enters their classroom hungry. Children should always have access to healthy food – and the ability to concentrate on learning. In addition, New Democrats will ensure that a reformed Nutrition North program is able to better respond to the needs of Northern families, to put an end to chronic food insecurity in the North.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Housing Prices

NDP's promise

Place a 20% tax on the sale of homes to people who aren't citizens or permanent residents; Double the Home Buyer's Tax Credit to $1,500.

Housing Supply

NDP's promise

Create 500,000 affordable housing units, or more, over the next 10 years, with half done in the next 5 years; Set up dedicated "fast-start funds" for building co-op, social, and non-profit housing; Provide federal land for housing projects; Waive GST/HST on construction of affordable rental units.

That’s why a New Democrat government will create at least 500,000 units of quality, affordable housing in the next ten years, with half of that done within five years. This will be achieved with the right mix of effective measures that work in partnership with provinces and municipalities, build capacity for social, community, and affordable housing providers, to provide rental support for co-ops, and meet environmental energy efficiency goals. This ambitious plan will create thousands of jobs in communities all across the country, jump-starting the economic recovery, and helping Canadians get the affordable housing they need.

In order to kick-start the construction of co- ops, social and non-profit housing and break the logjam that has prevented these groups from accessing housing funding, we will set up dedicated fast-start funds to streamline the application process and help communities get the expertise and assistance they need to get projects off the ground now, not years from now. We’ll mobilize federal resources and lands for these projects, turning unused and under-used properties into vibrant new communities.

A New Democrat government will also spur the construction of affordable homes by waiving the federal portion of the GST/HST on the construction of new affordable rental units – a simple change that will help get new units built faster and keep them affordable for the long term.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Money Laundering

NDP's promise

Work with the provinces to create a public beneficial ownership registry, to clarify who owns properties; Require reporting of suspicious transactions.

Mortgages

NDP's promise

Re-introduce 30-year terms on CMHC insured mortgages on entry-level homes for first time home buyers; Double the Home Buyer's Tax Credit to $1,500; Provide resources to help co-housing, including CMHC-backed co-ownership mortgages.

While making affordable rental housing more available is critical, New Democrats believe that the dream of homeownership shouldn’t be forever out of reach for Canadian families. That’s why we will re-introduce 30-year terms to CMHC insured mortgages on entry-level homes for first time home buyers. This will allow for smaller monthly payments, freeing up funds to help make ends meet for young families. We’ll also give people a hand with closing costs by doubling the Home Buyer’s Tax Credit to $1,500.

For Canadians who are open to innovative paths to home ownership, a New Democrat government will provide resources to facilitate co-housing, such as model co-ownership agreements and connections to local resources, and ease access to financing by offering CMHC-backed co-ownership mortgages.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Human Rights & Equality

Conversion Therapy

NDP's promise

Immediately legislate a ban on conversion therapy; Work with the provinces & territories to support eliminating conversion therapy.

Data Privacy

NDP's promise

Bring in legislation to prevent credit & debit card companies from selling customers' personal information; Update privacy legislation to include a digital bill of rights; Increase the powers of the Privacy Commissioner to make & enforce orders & levy finds & penalties.

Employment Discrimination

NDP's promise

Add sexual orientation, & gender identity & expression to the Employment Equity Act; Conduct a comprehensive review of the existing employment equity regime to help close the racialised wage gap; Strengthen labour laws; Ensure diverse & equitable hiring within the federal public service & federally-regulated industries; Work with the provinces & territories on employment equity legislation.

We can also do more to end employment discrimination faced by members of the LGBTQI2S+ community. A New Democrat government will add sexual orientation, gender identity and expression to the Employment Equity Act, in order to address the disadvantages experienced by the LGBTQI2S+ communities – and particularly transgender people – in finding work.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

A New Democrat government will conduct a comprehensive review of the existing employment equity regime to help close the racialized wage gap. New Democrats will strengthen labour laws and ensure diverse and equitable hiring within the federal public service, and in federally-regulated industries. Jobs and training for under-represented groups will be a core part of federal infrastructure plans. Lastly, we will work with the provinces and territories to develop and enforce effective employment equity legislation, and to collect and analyze data on the racialization of poverty – because everyone should be able to build a good life with equal opportunity.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Gender Equity

NDP's promise

Prioritise pay equity by requiring employers to be transparent about pay & implementing pro-active pay equity legislation & regulations right away; Introduce legislation to encourage political parties to run more women candidates.

Hate Crimes & Hate Speech

NDP's promise

Work to ensure all major cities have dedicated hate crime units within local police forces; Convene a national working group to counter online hate; Set national standards for identifying & recording all hate incidents; Create a national action plan to dismantle far-right extremist organisations; Make social media platforms legally responsible for removing hateful & extremist content.

It’s time for the federal government to tackle white supremacism, terrorism and the growing threat of hate crimes targeting communities in Canada. We will begin work immediately to ensure that all major cities have dedicated hate crime units within local police forces, and to convene a national working group to counter online hate. New Democrats will always stand up against all forms of hate, racism, including anti-Black racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, gender-based violence, homophobia, and transphobia.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

New Democrats will take on white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups with a national action plan to dismantle far-right extremist organizations, including those that promote white supremacy. We’ll establish national standards for identifying and recording all hate incidents and their dispensation in the justice system and work in collaboration with non-profits to increase the reporting of hate crimes.

Anti-Semitism, anti-Black racism, Islamophobia and other forms of hate are too often allowed to flourish on the internet. A New Democrat government will convene a national working group to counter online hate and protect public safety, and make sure that social media platforms are legally responsible for the removal of hateful and extremist content before it can do harm.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Indigenous & Black Incarceration

NDP's promise

Start a national task force to create a plan to end over-incarceration of Black & Indigenous people; Address the impacts of mandatory minimums; Provide greater judicial discretion in sentencing; Develop culturally appropriate bail programmes; Increase restorative & community justice; Better integrate Gladue principles; Develop & implement an African Canadian Justice Strategy.

To address the chronic over-representation of Indigenous peoples and Black Canadians in the federal prison population, we will put in place a national task force to develop a roadmap to end this systemic injustice. Working alongside Indigenous communities, this approach will include addressing the discriminatory impact of mandatory minimums, providing greater judicial discretion in sentencing, developing culturally appropriate bail programs, increasing restorative and community justice programs and better integrating Gladue principles in court proceedings. We will also develop and implement an African Canadian Justice Strategy, working with Black Canadians with experience and expertise on criminal justice issues.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Race-Based Data

NDP's promise

Prioritise collecting race-based data on health, employment, policing, & more with the goal of improving outcomes for racialised communities; Work with provinces to improve race-based data collection; Develop reporting & accountability mechanisms alongside racialised & Indigenous communities.

The Blood Ban

NDP's promise

Immediately end the blood ban and put in place policies based in public health evidence to secure the blood supply.

Trans Health & Access

NDP's promise

Work with the provinces to ensure equal access to gender-affirming surgery across the country, & that gender-affirming procedures & medication is covered by public health plans; Review & eliminate systemic barriers related to gender in the delivery of federal public services; Provide funding to support the creation & expansion of shelters for trans youth.

Immigration & Refugees

Credential Recognition

NDP's promise

Improve foreign credentials recognition.

Family Reunification

NDP's promise

End caps on applications to sponsor parents & grandparents; Treat caregivers brought to Canada with respect & dignity, provide them with status, & allow them to reunite with their families without delay.

Immigration Process

NDP's promise

Regulate the immigration consultancy industry.

Refugees

NDP's promise

Get rid of the backlog for asylum seekers; Work with Canadians to resettle refugees in communities; Ensure refugees are given the support they need to build successful lives & new homes; Establish a clear & permanent path for resettlement of LGBTQI2S+ refugees.

Indigenous Relations & Reconciliation

Drinking Water

NDP's promise

Make investments required to ensure clean water and lift all drinking water advisories for good now.

Indigenous Broadband

NDP's promise

Expand access to broadband Internet & cell service for rural & remote communities.

Indigenous Businesses

NDP's promise

Work with Indigenous communities to support locally-driven economic development; Create good jobs through infrastructure & public service investments; Work with Indigenous entrepreneurs to find solutions for accessing capital & invest in Indigenous social enterprises & entrepreneurship; Prioritise procurement from Indigenous companies where possible; Dedicate regional economic development support.

We believe that the economic recovery from COVID-19 must further reconciliation and economic justice for Indigenous peoples. A New Democrat government will work with Indigenous communities to support locally-driven economic development and create good jobs through infrastructure and public service investments, and expanded access to broadband internet and cell service for rural and remote communities. We commit to working with Indigenous entrepreneurs to find solutions for accessing capital and scale up, investing in Indigenous social enterprise projects and entrepreneurship, and to ensure that the federal government prioritizes procurement from Indigenous companies where possible.

Smaller Indigenous communities left behind by the current funding model need dedicated regional economic development support to help expand economic opportunities in a way that reflects the community’s social and cultural values.

A New Democrat government will also create a Northern Infrastructure Fund to fast-track investment and focus on improving much-needed infrastructure like roads and broadband internet for communities in the north.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Indigenous Children

NDP's promise

Immediately take action to respect, support, & resource Indigenous jurisdiction over child welfare systems, backed up with long-term, predictable funding guaranteed in legislation; Fully implement Canadian Human Rights Tribunal orders on funding of child welfare services on reserve; Implement the Spirit Bear Plan; Stop litigation against Indigenous children; Fully implement Jordan's Principle.

Indigenous children and young people have the right to culture, language and to be raised in their own communities – all of which are vital to overall well-being. By implementing the United Nations Declaration, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and supporting self-determination, New Democrats will make sure that all First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children, young people and families are treated with the justice, respect and care that they deserve.

New Democrats will take immediate action to respect, support and resource Indigenous jurisdiction over child welfare systems, and will back this commitment with long-term, predictable funding guaranteed in legislation so that Indigenous peoples can exercise their jurisdiction and authority over matters involving their own children and families.

We also commit to ending discrimination against Indigenous children, young people and families by fully implementing the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal orders which ordered the Canadian government to stop chronically underfunding child welfare services on reserve, and working with the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society to implement the Spirit Bear Plan. We will put an immediate end to government litigation against Indigenous children.

A New Democrat government will also fully implement Jordan’s Principle, working with the provinces and territories to end the delays and ensure equitable access to health services and educational supports for Indigenous children from coast to coast to coast. We’ll end the court challenge and ensure that Jordan’s Principle applies to children off-reserve. And we will create a Spirit Bear Day to promote awareness of Jordan's Principle and of the challenges faced by First Nations children when accessing government services.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Indigenous Education

NDP's promise

Implement Shannen's Dream of equitable access to education with federal investments & infrastructure; Provide financial assistance & increased education opportunities for children who grew up in care; Provide support for post-secondary distance learning for rural & remote students.

In government, New Democrats will ensure that every child is provided a safe place to learn and an opportunity to succeed, whether on or off reserve. We will implement Shannen’s Dream of equitable access to education, backed by federal investments and infrastructure, so no student will be forced to learn in dangerous environments, as we have witnessed in Kashechewan First Nation.

Recognizing that barriers to post-secondary education and training continue, we will support Indigenous youth and help them bridge the gap to post-secondary education through expanded financial assistance and increased educational opportunities for children who grew up in care, and distance education for rural and remote students.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Indigenous Health

NDP's promise

Close the health gap in Indigenous communities; Support health self-determination; Implement Joyce's Principle; Invest in Indigenous healthcare infrastructure, supplies, & diagnostic equipment; Build a treatment centre for residents affected by long-term mercury exposure; Compensate families affected by mercury poisoning in Grassy Narrows; Support food sovereignty; Reform Nutrition North.

Joyce’s Principle will be the basis for a new approach to tackling systemic racism in health care under a New Democrat government. This principle is named for Joyce Echaquan, an Atikamekw woman who died tragically in hospital after suffering racist care. Joyce's Principle demands that all Indigenous people have an equal right to the highest standard of physical and mental health, with a right to access traditional medicines.

We will make sure that people can get the treatment they need in their community through investments in Indigenous health care infrastructure, medical supplies and diagnostic equipment. We will work in partnership with Indigenous communities to improve access to mental health and addiction treatment services both on and off reserve – including an evidence-based action plan to prevent suicide, backed by dedicated federal resources, fully implementing the New Democrat motion on suicide prevention passed by the House of Commons.

A New Democrat government will also work with communities and care providers to ensure that Indigenous-led, culturally appropriate home care and long-term care is available for Elders, in their home communities and languages.

We will support Indigenous food sovereignty, and reform the Nutrition North program to improve families’ access to food, including country and traditional food. New Democrats will work with northerners to turn Nutrition North into a social program that benefits communities in the North directly, rather than simply subsidizing companies.

Finally, we will build a treatment centre for residents affected by long-term mercury exposure and compensate families affected by the inter-generational problem of mercury poisoning in Grassy Narrows.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Indigenous Housing

NDP's promise

Work with Indigenous communities to implement a co-developed, fully-funded Indigenous National Housing Strategy within 100 days of assuming office; Address the mould crisis.

New Democrats will address the Indigenous housing crisis and put an end to chronic overcrowding and long-wait lists by working with Indigenous communities to implement co-developed, fully funded Indigenous National Housing Strategy within our first 100 days in office. This innovative, ground-up strategy will mean sustainable and dedicated funding to meet the needs of Indigenous peoples, whether in urban, rural or remote communities.

We believe that the federal government must immediately step up to tackle the mold crisis affecting tens of thousands of homes, and provide support for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples to ensure that their homes are safe and healthy. We will also ensure that Indigenous communities have the resources to make homes greener and more energy efficient, working to keep the benefits of good jobs, training and investment close to home.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Mental Health

NDP's promise

Work in partnership with Indigenous communities to improve access to mental health & addiction treatment services both on & off reserve, including an evidence-based action plan to prevent suicide; Dedicate federal resources.

We will work in partnership with Indigenous communities to improve access to mental health and addiction treatment services both on and off reserve – including an evidence-based action plan to prevent suicide, backed by dedicated federal resources, fully implementing the New Democrat motion on suicide prevention passed by the House of Commons.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls

NDP's promise

Work with Indigenous women, the families of the missing & murdered, & Indigenous communities to implement the Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls; Establish a comprehensive plan to address violence against Indigenous women, girls, & LGBTQI2S+ People; Ensure full gender equality for First Nations status.

The report from the National Inquiry must not sit on a shelf. New Democrats will work in partnership with Indigenous women, the families of the missing and murdered, and communities to implement the Inquiry’s Calls for Justice and the calls to action brought forward by communities. This includes establishing a comprehensive, plan to address violence against Indigenous women, girls and LGBTQI2S+ People — ensuring that all those fleeing violence have access to culturally appropriate programming, emergency shelters and transitional housing.

We believe it’s wrong that Indigenous women, and their children, still do not have equal status rights — including the right to pass on the ability to qualify for Indian status registration. Successive Conservative and Liberal governments have failed to fix this gross inequality. New Democrats will act to ensure full gender equality for First Nations status as a matter of priority, consistent with Canadian and international court rulings.

New Democrats acknowledge that respect for Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people must be made real by ensuring equitable access and self- determination over land, culture, language, housing, child care, income security, employment, education, and physical, mental, sexual, and spiritual health.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

On-Reserve Funding

NDP's promise

Fund on-reserve emergency management & prevention, including firefighting training & equipment.

Policing & the Justice System

NDP's promise

Remove most mandatory minimum sentences; Increase the discretion of judges during sentencing; Ensure bail programmes are culturally appropriate; Increase funding for community justice programmes focused on healing & restorative justice; Uphold use of Gladue principles; Develop a First Nations justice & policing strategy; Take steps to end discriminatory policing practices.

New Democrats believe government must work to end systemic discrimination against Indigenous peoples in the justice system. In accordance with Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action 30, 31 and 32, we will remove most mandatory minimums, increase the discretion of judges during sentencing, ensure bail programs are culturally appropriate, bolster funding for community justice programs that focus on healing and restorative justice rather than incarceration, and uphold the use of Gladue principles in court proceedings.

We will work with Indigenous communities to enhance community safety and develop a First Nations justice and policing strategy. We will make First Nations Policing an essential service with long term, sufficient and equitable funding, while taking steps to end discriminatory policing practices like carding. New Democrats also believe that Inuit should have control over policing in their own communities, and we will allow the Inuit to independently oversee policing in Nunavut. We will also work with the Inuit to develop a long-term strategy for recruiting and retaining Inuit and Inuktitut speakers to work in community safety roles.

A New Democrat government will uphold and strengthen the Directive on Civil Litigation Involving Indigenous Peoples that puts an end to costly and adversarial legal battles with Indigenous communities. We will also keep residential school Survivors at the heart of decisions around justice for their experiences, ensuring fair compensation for St. Anne's residential school Survivors, Métis Survivors, and those who survived abuse in day schools.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Reconciliation

NDP's promise

Work in partnership with Indigenous peoples to fully implement UNDRIP & the Truth & Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action; Co-develop a National Action Plan for Reconciliation; Establish a National Council for Reconciliation; Replace consultation with a standard of free, prior, & informed consent; Respect treaties; Ensure funds for commemorating a National Day for Truth & Reconciliation.

In partnership with Indigenous peoples, a New Democrat government will fully implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action.

New Democrats will work with Indigenous peoples to co-develop a National Action Plan for Reconciliation, drawing directly from the Calls to Action and the Declaration to ensure that Canada’s laws, policies, and practices are consistent with Canada’s human rights commitments – including cultural rights, land rights, and rights to self-determination and self-government.

Through legislation, we will establish a National Council for Reconciliation to provide oversight and accountability for this process, reporting regularly to Parliament and Canadians.

A New Democrat government will replace mere consultation with a standard of free, prior and informed consent for Indigenous communities affected by government policies – including for all decisions affecting constitutionally protected land rights, like energy project reviews. We are committed to good-faith, consent-based engagement and negotiations consistent with the Tsilhqot’in decision, an approach that honours Canada’s legal and constitutional obligations.

We will recognize and respect treaties, supporting Indigenous Nations who are building and re-building their governance structures.

We will also respect Inuit self-determination by co-developing the federal government’s Arctic Policy Framework through shared governance within the Inuit- Crown Partnership Committee, including through the adoption of an Inuit Nunangat policy in full partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. We will support the economic and social self-reliance of Inuit by addressing the massive infrastructure deficit in Northern communities, including housing, access to high-speed broadband, and airports, and ensuring that federal election ballots include Indigenous languages like Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun.

New Democrats recognize Métis self-determination and in government, we will respect the path forward established by the Métis National Council and its governing members. We will pursue government-to-government negotiations on issues including self-government, education, housing and health.

A New Democrat government will work in partnership with Indigenous communities across the country to help protect and revitalize the incredible diversity of Indigenous languages in Canada with new legislation and stable funding. In response to Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action 80, we will ensure there are funds to communities to commemorate a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to acknowledge the painful legacy of colonization, honour the Survivors of residential schools, and help communities across Canada commit to meaningful reconciliation.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

And we believe that all Canadians should be aware of the contributions and history of Indigenous peoples and understand the legacy of residential schools. We will work with the provinces to establish Indigenous history education programs for all Canadians, based on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action 62 and 63 – and ensure that the development and implementation of these programs are led by Indigenous peoples.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Residential Schools

NDP's promise

Fund the search for grave sites at former residential schools; Fund the maintenance, commemoration, reburial, & protection of residential school cemeteries according to the wishes of Indigenous families, Survivors, & communities; Establish memorials; Appoint a special prosecutor to pursue those involved in residential schools; Require churches & governments to hand over records; Fund healing.

A New Democrat government will fully fund the search for grave sites at former residential schools, as well as the maintenance, commemoration, reburial and protection of residential school cemeteries according to the wishes of Indigenous families, residential school Survivors and communities. We will also work with nations and Survivors to establish memorials to those lost to residential schools.

In order for there to be reconciliation, New Democrats recognize that there must also be truth, accountability and justice. We will ensure the appointment of a special prosecutor to pursue those who inflicted great harm on Indigenous children in Canada’s residential school system. We will require that churches and governments hand over any and all records that could be helpful in identifying the children who lay buried in unmarked graves, or in finding individuals who were involved in their deaths.

Finally, recognizing the need for special supports to address the inter-generational impacts of colonialism and residential schools, a New Democrat government will support and fully fund community-driven solutions for healing, including projects similar to the former “Aboriginal Healing Foundation”.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

And we believe that all Canadians should be aware of the contributions and history of Indigenous peoples and understand the legacy of residential schools. We will work with the provinces to establish Indigenous history education programs for all Canadians, based on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action 62 and 63 – and ensure that the development and implementation of these programs are led by Indigenous peoples.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Self-Determination

NDP's promise

Co-develop a National Action Plan for Reconciliation, including ensuring rights to self-determination & self-government; Support Inuit self-determination; Recognise Métis self-determination & pursue government-to-government negotiations on issues.

We will also respect Inuit self-determination by co-developing the federal government’s Arctic Policy Framework through shared governance within the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee, including through the adoption of an Inuit Nunangat policy in full partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. We will support the economic and social self-reliance of Inuit by addressing the massive infrastructure deficit in Northern communities, including housing, access to high-speed broadband, and airports, and ensuring that federal election ballots include Indigenous languages like Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun.

New Democrats recognize Métis self-determination and in government, we will respect the path forward established by the Métis National Council and its governing members. We will pursue government-to-government negotiations on issues including self-government, education, housing and health.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Infrastructure

Infrastructure Funding

NDP's promise

Devote funding to public infrastructure; Use Community Benefit agreements to guarantee jobs, training, apprenticeships, & support for local businesses as part of infrastructure projects.

Our vision is one where communities can afford to build the infrastructure they need to thrive, from roads and bridges to community centres, long-term care, child care centres and everything in between. These investments will create good jobs in every part of the country; and to get there, we will partner with provinces, territories, First Nations and municipalities to deliver reliable public infrastructure funding that puts people – not profit – first. By using Community Benefit Agreements, we will guarantee that good jobs, training, apprenticeships and support for local businesses are part of every infrastructure project.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Internet Infrastructure

NDP's promise

Declare high-speed Internet as an essential service; Give every Canadian, including those in rural areas, access to affordable, reliable, high-speed broadband within 4 years; Take steps to create a Crown corporation to deliver quality, affordable telecom services.

Expanding cell coverage and delivering reliable, affordable broadband internet to every community in Canada is vital to the economic future of rural Canada and remote communities. But it has been ignored by successive governments for far too long. That’s why we believe that we need to act urgently to close the digital divide now, not ten years from now as the Liberal government proposed. We are committed to declaring high-speed internet an essential service and making sure that every Canadian has access to affordable, reliable high-speed broadband within four years. This will include taking the first steps to create a Crown corporation to ensure the delivery of quality, affordable telecom services to every community.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Northern Infrastructure

NDP's promise

Create a Northern Infrastructure Fund to fast-track investment & improve infrastructure like roads & broadband Internet for northern communities.

International Relations

China

NDP's promise

Work with allies to lead a robust & coordinated international response to China's disregard of the rule of law; Call out human rights abuses by China; Protect Hong Kong pro-democracy asylum seekers; Provide support for those facing threats by Chinese government entities here in Canada.

A New Democrat government will stand up to China with a strong and coherent strategy to defend Canadian interests at home and abroad. We will work with our allies to lead a robust and coordinated international response to China’s disregard of the rule of law. New Democrats will call out human rights abuses by China, stand with Hong Kong pro-democracy asylum seekers, and provide coordinated support for those facing threats by Chinese entities here in Canada.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Climate Change

NDP's promise

Help low-income countries deal with the impacts of climate change, including climate financing to help protect the people most vulnerable.

Global Health

NDP's promise

Generously support global efforts to make vaccines freely available to the most vulnerable; Support the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Waiver to waive intellectual property restrictions on manufacturing vaccines; Contribute more to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

To improve global health and help end the COVID-19 pandemic everywhere, Canada should fully and generously support global efforts to make vaccines freely available to the world’s most vulnerable. This includes supporting the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Waiver (TRIPS), that would waive intellectual property rights for COVID vaccines and ensure technology transfer, so that low-income countries can start making vaccines locally and save lives.

New Democrats also believe that we have an important role to play in ensuring that long- term strategies are in place to strengthen health systems in developing countries. Canada should also contribute more to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to end these epidemics and support heath care systems in developing countries.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Global Peace

NDP's promise

Support nuclear disarmament; Recommit to peacekeeping; Make sure Canadian-made weapons aren't fuelling conflict & human rights abuses abroad.

Human Rights

NDP's promise

Make sure Canadian-made weapons aren't fuelling conflict & human rights abuses abroad.

International Development

NDP's promise

Increase Canada's international development assistance, with the goal of contributing 0.7% of Gross National Income; Help low-income countries deal with the impacts of climate change, including climate financing to help protect the people most vulnerable.

Israel & Palestine

NDP's promise

Work towards a just & lasting two-state solution that respects human rights & upholds international law; Play an active role in advancing peace, including by suspending arms sales to Israel until the end of the occupation.

Jobs & the Economy

Agriculture

NDP's promise

Create a Canadian Food Strategy to invest in agricultural communities, support young farmers, & ensure rural livelihoods are sustainable; Create a payment protection programme for produce growers; Restore protection for growers selling to the US under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act; Support sustainable & low-carbon agriculture; Connect communities to farmers through local food hubs.

Agriculture is another vital sector of our economy. It’s time for a government that’s actually working on the side of Canadian farmers, producers, and farm families. New Democrats have a plan for a Canadian Food Strategy that will take a whole-of-government approach to address regional needs and priorities by investing in our agricultural communities, supporting young and new farmers and taking steps to ensure that rural livelihoods are good and sustainable.

Supply management protects our family farms, rural communities and hundreds of thousands of jobs. New Democrats are committed to fully protecting supply management and ensuring reciprocity in all trade negotiations, and supporting our supply managed sectors as they innovate and grow.

We also know that it’s a challenge to grow a business without modern communications infrastructure. That’s why New Democrats will make sure that high-speed broadband and cell phone infrastructure is available to connect our farmers and rural communities to the services and tools they need, no matter where in the country they are.

Finally, New Democrats will introduce a payment protection program for produce growers and take immediate steps to restore protection for growers selling to the United States under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

And we will support sustainable agriculture, working with Canadian farmers to promote sustainable land-management techniques and methods to reduce GHG emissions. We’ll also work with the agricultural sector to help them access low carbon tools and technology, and adapt to climate-induced weather changes and other impacts of the climate crisis, including the associated increase in pests and invasive species.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

The way we grow crops, raise livestock and use food also has an impact on our climate future – and nutrition for all Canadians. We’ll work to connect communities to farmers through local food hubs, and develop a national food waste strategy to reduce the huge amounts of food that currently go to waste in Canada. A New Democrat government will also partner with farmers and communities to support biodiversity and to monitor and protect pollinator health.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Arts & Culture

NDP's promise

Provide a dedicated rebuilding package for performing arts, theatre, festivals, & other arts affected by the pandemic; Prioritise partnerships with independent producers & increase funding for Telefilm; Provide financial support for Indigenous theatre at the National Arts Centre; Put in place income tax averaging for artists & cultural workers.

Competition

NDP's promise

Modernise competition laws.

Credit Card Fees

NDP's promise

Cap credit card merchant fees at 1%.

Entrepreneurship

NDP's promise

Provide small- and medium-sized businesses with a single point of contact to help ease regulatory processes and support compliance.

Film & Television

NDP's promise

Increase financial support for Telefilm & the Canada Media Fund; Make web giants support Canadian content in both official languages; Modernise the Broadcasting Act.

New Democrats will do what the Liberals failed to do and modernize the Broadcasting Act fairly in order to create a level playing field between Canadian broadcasters and foreign streaming services, to rebalance negotiating power for Canadian independent producers and the Canadian cultural sector, and to ensure Canadian programming is owned by Canadians. In addition, we will prioritize partnerships with Canadian independent producers, increase funding for Telefilm and enhance financial support for the Canada Media Fund.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

International Trade

NDP's promise

Increase transparency for trade negotiations; Directly engage with Canadians on the expected costs & benefits of potential trade deals; Ensure all trade agreements are consistent with UNDRIP; Evaluate all potential trade deals for social, environmental, and gendered impact; Modernise the trade remedy system; Make sure trade unions have full standing in trade cases and can start trade disputes.

New Democrats support fair trade that broadens opportunity in all areas of the country, while protecting our industries and upholding labour standards, environmental protections and human rights around the world. That’s why we’ll always defend Canadian workers in trade negotiations, protect supply management, stand up against unfair tariffs.

We’re committed to improving the transparency of trade negotiations, so that Canadians can clearly understand the costs and benefits of any proposed agreement and have their say before it’s signed. Already, New Democrats have won changes that require the government to notify Canadians before trade negotiations begin, make them put forward clear negotiating objectives in advance, and do a full economic impact assessment of every deal.

A New Democrat government will directly engage with Canadians on the expected costs and benefits of potential trade deals, as well as ensure that all trade agreements are consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will evaluate all potential trade deals for their social, environmental and gendered impact on Canadians.

When it comes to what’s on the negotiating table, Canadians know that there are some things that we shouldn’t be willing to compromise on, like investor-state dispute settlement measures that hand too much power to corporations and undermine the rules that keep us safe and healthy.

Trade agreements should have enforceable labour, human rights and environmental protections – and New Democrats will always protect Canadians against measures that could increase the cost of pharmaceuticals, weaken our cultural protections, or undermine privacy rights. We will also protect Canadian businesses who are taking action to transition to a low-carbon future with a border carbon adjustment that will level the playing field on imports from areas without a carbon price.

A New Democrat government will also do more to defend Canadian workers and communities from unfair trading practices. We will modernize Canada’s trade remedy system and make sure that trade unions have full standing in trade cases and the ability to initiate trade disputes, as is the case in other countries.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Internships

NDP's promise

Ban unpaid internships, except for those part of education programmes.

Investment

NDP's promise

Update the Investment Canada Act to limit takeovers of Canadian companies by foreign investors without national security reviews; Shut down the Invest in Canada agency and create iCanada.

The pandemic has shown the critical importance of domestic manufacturing. Without it, Canada has struggled to get necessary personal protective equipment and vaccines. For the security of all Canadians, we can’t leave this to chance. That’s why New Democrats will develop comprehensive industrial strategies to incubate and expand critical domestic manufacturing capacity and supply chain infrastructure including for auto, aerospace, shipbuilding, construction materials, pharmaceuticals and personal protective equipment

New Democrats will begin by strengthening and modernizing the Investment Canada Act to protect Canadian jobs and undo the damage done by the Liberal government that allows more takeovers of Canadian companies by foreign investors without national security reviews. We’ll scrap the failed Invest in Canada agency and create iCanada, a one-stop shop inside the federal government to help attract investors to Canada and turn their plans into reality – and champion Canadian industry on the international stage.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Manufacturing

NDP's promise

Develop strategies to expand critical domestic manufacturing capacity & supply chain infrastructure, incl. for auto, aerospace, shipbuilding, construction materials, pharmaceuticals, & PPE; Convene an auto summit with governments, industry, & labour to develop a National Automotive Strategy to attract jobs & investment; Restore the Automotive Innovative Fund & make contributions tax-free.

The pandemic has shown the critical importance of domestic manufacturing. Without it, Canada has struggled to get necessary personal protective equipment and vaccines. For the security of all Canadians, we can’t leave this to chance. That’s why New Democrats will develop comprehensive industrial strategies to incubate and expand critical domestic manufacturing capacity and supply chain infrastructure including for auto, aerospace, shipbuilding, construction materials, pharmaceuticals and personal protective equipment

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

A New Democrat government will urgently convene an auto summit with provincial, municipal, industry and labour leaders to develop a consensus on a National Automotive Strategy to attract and retain jobs and investment. This strategy will make sure that Canadian product lines and manufacturing processes are adapted to meet changing consumer needs and evolving realities in the manufacturing industry – while protecting workers for the long term.

We will also restore the Automotive Innovation Fund and make contributions to automakers tax-free to help secure next generation production capacity.

And we will commission an independent study into the causes and consequences of the trade deficit in automotive products with Mexico, along with potential strategies for reducing it.

New Democrats will help Canadian industry lead in the development and manufacturing of the vehicles of tomorrow. We’ll work with labour and industry to make sure that Canadian workers have the skills they need to benefit from the adoption of these new technologies – and drive demand by ensuring that federal incentives for zero-emissions automobiles prioritize made-in-Canada vehicles.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

News Media & Journalism

NDP's promise

Increase financial support for the Canada Media Fund; Extend support to Canadian media to assist in the transition to digital.

Parental Leave

NDP's promise

Give the option to parents to take shorter EI parental leave at a higher replacement rate; Allow self-employed workers to opt-into parental benefits at any time before taking the leave; Double leave for parents of multiples.

Parental leave should be available for all Canadian families, in the way that works best for them. Eighteen months of leave is an attractive option for many parents, but not many Canadians can afford to live on just 33 percent of their salary. New Democrats will bring in a new special leave that allows parents to take shorter parental leave at a higher replacement rate. We’ll also allow self- employed workers to opt-into parental benefits at any time before taking the leave, and move to double leave for parents of multiples.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Part-Time, Contract, & Gig Workers

NDP's promise

Require that part-time and contract workers be compensated equally to full-time workers.

Pensions

NDP's promise

Make unfunded pension liabilities owed to workers, & employees' severance pay, are the top priority when a company goes bankrupt; Prevent companies from paying dividends & bonuses when pensions are underfunded; Create a mandatory, industry-financed pension insurance programme; Create a Pension Advisory Commission to develop a long-term plan to enhance Old Age Security, GIS, & CPP.

New Democrats believe that every Canadian should be able to count on a dignified, secure retirement – and we’ll fight hard to protect pensions that workers have earned. To that end, we will make sure that pensioners are at the front of the line when a company goes bankrupt – making sure unfunded pension liabilities owed to workers, and employees’ severance pay, are the top priority for repayment.

We’ll stop companies from paying out dividends and bonuses when pensions are under-funded, and we’ll create a mandatory, industry-financed pension insurance program to make sure that no worker is deprived of the retirement benefits they’ve earned through no fault of their own.

The federal government has a critical role to play in protecting defined benefit pensions across the country. The Liberal and Conservatives’ openness to target benefit plans in the public sector, which don’t guarantee stable benefits for retirees, puts defined benefits at risk for all Canadians – and we will immediately put a stop to this chipping away of retirement security.

We are committed to strengthening public pensions and improving retirement security for all Canadians and providing a basic guaranteed livable income for seniors. A New Democrat government will create a Pension Advisory Commission to develop a long-term plan to enhance Old Age Security, boost the Guaranteed Income Supplement to lift all seniors out of poverty, and strengthen the Canada Pension Plan. We’ll also make automatic enrollment in OAS and GIS retroactive, so no retiree misses out on benefits that they should be receiving, and support efforts to make sure Canadians have good retirement financial literacy.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Sick Leave

NDP's promise

Work with the provinces to bring in permanent, country-wide access to paid sick days, with full income replacement, & reimbursed to employers; Keep the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit in place until all Canadians have access to paid sick days; Immediately legislate 10 paid sick days for federally-regulated workplaces.

New Democrats will work with the provinces to update federal standards and bring in a permanent safety net of paid sick leave across the country, and to close the gap until every worker has access to paid sick days, we will fix the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit and keep it going until all Canadians have access to paid sick days.

We’ll allow sick leave to be taken by workers one or two days at a time, give full income replacement to workers who are sick, and reimburse employers instead of putting the onus on workers to apply for the program. Unlike the Liberals, we’ll move immediately to legislate 10 paid sick days in the Canada Labour Code for federally regulated workplaces.

Ready for Better, 2021-08-27

Small Businesses

NDP's promise

Continue wage and rent subsidies for small businesses until they're able to fully reopen after the pandemic; Put in place a hiring bonus to pay the employer portion of EI and CPP for new or rehired staff; Cap credit card merchant fees at 1%.

Steel & Aluminum

NDP's promise

Require the use of Canadian-made steel and aluminum for infrastructure projects.

Supply Management

NDP's promise

Fully-protect supply management; Ensure reciprocity in all trade negotiations.

Supply management protects our family farms, rural communities and hundreds of thousands of jobs. New Democrats are committed to fully protecting supply management and ensuring reciprocity in all trade negotiations, and supporting our supply managed sectors as they innovate and grow.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Tax Evasion

NDP's promise

Close tax loopholes; Eliminate bearer shares; Require companies to prove the economic reason for offshore transactions; Improve transparency on taxes paid by large corporations; Increase compliance funding to the CRA's enforcement section for international and corporate taxation.

To boost the integrity of our tax system and combat tax evasion, we will take measures to close loopholes that include eliminating bearer shares, compelling companies to prove the economic reason for their offshore transactions, and improving transparency on the taxes paid by large corporations. We will also boost compliance funding to Canada Revenue Agency’s enforcement section dealing with international and corporate taxation, to ensure that companies can’t evade new measures.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Taxation

NDP's promise

Introduce a temporary 15% tax on large corporate windfall profits during the pandemic; Pursue large corporations that used wage subsidies to pay executive bonuses or shareholder dividends; Increase the capital gains inclusion rate to 75%; Increase the top marginal rate 2pp; Introduce a luxury goods tax; Introduce a 1% wealth tax on those with over $10M; Return corporate income taxes to 2010 levels

We’ll protect family budgets, and force big corporations and big polluters to start paying what they owe. And we will raise revenues through new, fair and progressive taxation sources to make the investments Canadians need to thrive.

No one should be profiteering during a global health crisis when so many Canadians are suffering and need help more than ever. New Democrats will introduce a temporary COVID-19 excess profit tax that puts an additional 15% tax on large corporate windfall profits during the pandemic. We will go after large corporations that took publicly-funded COVID-19 wage subsidies and turned around and paid out executive bonuses, executed stock buy-backs or paid shareholder dividends.

To make our tax system fairer and ensure that the wealthiest individuals are paying their fair share, we will increase the capital gains inclusion rate to 75 percent. A New Democrat government will also boost the top marginal tax rate two points, put in place a luxury goods tax on things like yachts and private jets, and ask the very richest multi-millionaires to pay a bit more towards our shared services with a wealth tax.

A New Democrat government will ensure that large, profitable corporations are contributing to the important services and infrastructure that make Canada such a good place to do business. We will roll back the Conservatives’ corporate income tax cuts by three percentage points to 2010 levels. We will also ensure that internet giants like Facebook, Google and Amazon pay their fair share of taxes, just like every other company – unlike the Liberals, who broke their campaign promise to make these companies play by the rules.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Tech Giants

NDP's promise

Modernise the Broadcasting Act to create a level playing field between Canadian broadcasters & foreign streaming services.

That’s why a we will step up to make sure that Netflix, Facebook, Google and other digital media companies play by the same rules as Canadian broadcasters. It means that these companies need to pay corporate taxes now, support Canadian content in both official languages, and take responsibility for what appears on their platforms, just like other media outlets.

New Democrats will do what the Liberals failed to do and modernize the Broadcasting Act fairly in order to create a level playing field between Canadian broadcasters and foreign streaming services, to rebalance negotiating power for Canadian independent producers and the Canadian cultural sector, and to ensure Canadian programming is owned by Canadians. In addition, we will prioritize partnerships with Canadian independent producers, increase funding for Telefilm and enhance financial support for the Canada Media Fund.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Unions & Worker Control

NDP's promise

Defend the Rand formula; Oppose back-to-work legislation; Update the Canada Labour Code; Ban the use of replacement workers during labour disputes.

That’s why New Democrats believe that it should be easier to join a union that will protect your rights and ensure fair working conditions. We will defend the Rand formula, so that unions can effectively advocate for workers, and we will continue to oppose heavy-handed legislation that suspends the rights to bargain and to strike.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Mental Health, Drugs, & Addiction

Addiction & the Opioid Crisis

NDP's promise

Declare a public health emergency; Work with all levels of government & health experts to decriminalise drug addiction & end stigma surrounding it; Work with the provinces & health professionals to create a safe supply of medically-regulated alternatives; Support overdose prevention sites; Expand access to treatment-on-demand; Launch an investigation into the role drug companies may have played.

New Democrats believe that there is much more we can do to save lives and support those struggling with opioids. In government, we will declare a public health emergency and commit to working with all levels of government, health experts and Canadians to end the criminalization and stigma of drug addiction, so that people struggling with addiction can get the help they need without fear of arrest, while getting tough on the real criminals - those who traffic in and profit from illegal drugs. We’ll work with the provinces and health professionals to create a safe supply of medically regulated alternatives to toxic street drugs, support overdose prevention sites and expand access to treatment on demand for people struggling with addiction. We will also launch an investigation into the role drug companies may have played in fueling the opioid crisis, and seek meaningful financial compensation from them for the public costs of this crisis.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Mental Health Coverage

NDP's promise

Bring in mental health coverage for uninsured Canadians; Work with the provinces & territories to implement a comprehensive approach to mental health services.

As a first step, a New Democrat government would bring in mental health care for uninsured Canadians – ensuring that people with no coverage for mental health services could gain access to these supports without worrying about the cost. Our comprehensive pharmacare plan will also mean that prescription medication for mental health care will now be available free of cost to Canadians. We will work with provinces and territories to build on these initiatives and put in place a truly comprehensive approach to mental health services. And we believe that no new parent should struggle alone – it’s time for a national perinatal mental health strategy to support growing families before and after birth.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Mental Health Services

NDP's promise

Work with the provinces & territories to implement a comprehensive approach to mental health services.

Perinatal Mental Health

NDP's promise

Implement a national perinatal mental health strategy.

And we believe that no new parent should struggle alone – it’s time for a national perinatal mental health strategy to support growing families before and after birth.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Natural Resources & Extraction

Aquaculture

NDP's promise

Work with BC and First Nations to support switching to land-based closed-containment systems.

We will fully implement the recommendations of the Cohen Commission and work with the province of British Columbia and First Nations to support the transition to land-based closed-containment systems.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Fisheries

NDP's promise

Fully implement Cohen Commission recommendations; Work with BC and First Nations to support transition to land-based closed-containment systems; Allocate resources to fisheries on the principles of adjacency, historic dependence, and sustainability, while respecting Indigenous rights; Invest in habitat restoration & rebuilding fish stocks; Improve response to oil spills & derelict vessels.

New Democrats are committed to a vision of strong coastal communities, sustainable fisheries and thriving marine and freshwater ecosystems. With the right choices today, we can protect our fisheries and the jobs they provide for generations to come – and make Canada a global leader in ocean and freshwater sustainability.

In order to protect wild salmon on the Pacific coast, our approach will be focused on conserving, protecting, and restoring critical habitat. We will fully implement the recommendations of the Cohen Commission and work with the province of British Columbia and First Nations to support the transition to land-based closed-containment systems.

On the Atlantic coast, New Democrats will ensure that resource allocations in the fishery are guided by the principles of adjacency, historic dependence and sustainability, while also respecting Indigenous rights.

When it comes to sustainability, New Democrats recognize that the wellbeing of our communities is reliant upon the health of our marine and freshwater ecosystems. That’s why we will invest in habitat restoration and the rebuilding of fish stocks, as well as in strengthening our response to oil spills and derelict vessels to better protect our coasts.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Forestry

NDP's promise

Support value-added Canadian wood products; Support forestry research & development; Expand market access for wood products.

A New Democrat government will invest in forestry innovation and support value-added Canadian wood products – and the good jobs that go with them. Our plan will support forestry research and development, help companies commercialize new technologies, and expand market access for wood products to keep Canada competitive.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Mining

NDP's promise

Strengthen the federal environmental impact assessment process for new coal mines and mine expansion projects.

Public Safety & Policing

Access to the Justice System

NDP's promise

Increase funding for legal aid.

Cannabis Convictions

NDP's promise

Proactively expunge criminal records for those convicted of minor cannabis possession.

Domestic Violence

NDP's promise

Update the Canada Labour Code to include 10 days of paid leave for those dealing with family & domestic violence.

Gang Violence

NDP's promise

Make sure communities have access to funding for anti-gang projects to deter at-risk youth from joining gangs; Address racialisation by focusing on preventing youth from falling prey to violent extremism, including through support for community-led initiatives.

Gender-Based Violence

NDP's promise

Deliver a National Action Plan to end gender-based violence, including funding to ensure shelter services & other programmes are available country-wide, especially in traditionally under-served areas; Improve police training on sexual assault; Require universities to develop plans to end sexual violence on campus.

Our vision of Canada is one where women’s organizations have stable core funding so that women can access the support and advocacy they need, when they need it. We will tackle femicide and we’ll deliver a National Action Plan to end gender-based violence, backed by funding to ensure that shelter services and other programs are available in all regions of the country, especially areas that have traditionally been under-served. New Democrats will update the Canada Labour Code to include ten days of paid leave for those dealing with family and domestic violence, improve police training on sexual assault, and require universities to develop plans to end sexual violence on campus. And we’ll address violence against Indigenous women, girls and LGBTQI2S+ people by working with Indigenous peoples to implement all the Calls for Justice of the National Inquiry.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Gun Violence

NDP's promise

Work to keep assault weapons and illegal handguns off the street; Work to address gun smuggling and organised crime.

Harmful Online Content

NDP's promise

Convene a national working group to counter online hate; Make social media platforms responsible for removing hateful & extremist content before it can do harm.

National Security

NDP's promise

Work with international allies to deal with threats to our national security; Enhance real-time oversight of security services, ensuring full respect for the privacy and Charter rights of all citizens; Strengthen protection for Canadians who are victims of foreign interference & threats.

Police Accountability & Reform

NDP's promise

Put in place robust & independent civilian oversight of the RCMP; Launch a review of the RCMP's budget & the RCMP act in order to ensure accountability to the public; Release all use-of-force incidents by the RCMP; Launch a full review into RCMP use-of-force.

Police accountability is an important way to make our communities safer. It’s past time to put in place robust and independent civilian oversight of the RCMP. We’ll launch a review of the RCMP’s budget and the RCMP Act in order to ensure accountability of the RCMP to the public. A New Democrat government will release all use-of-force incidents by the RCMP and launch a full review of these practices.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Police Carding

NDP's promise

Immediately move to ban carding by the RCMP; Work with local partners across Canada to end carding in all jurisdictions; Review all information obtained through carding that has been retained by police, and examine how that information has been shared between the RCMP & other police forces & government agencies.

Police Violence

NDP's promise

Implement a federal use-of-force standard with a zero-tolerance policy for inappropriate use-of-force; Overhaul federal police training to ensure officers receive ongoing deescalation, implicit-bias, & cross-cultural training throughout their careers; Increase investments in non-police interventions, like mental health & addiction supports.

New Democrats are committed to putting an end to police violence, and will implement a federal use-of-force standard with a zero-tolerance policy for inappropriate use-of-force. We will overhaul federal police training to ensure that every officer receives robust and ongoing de-escalation, implicit-bias and cross- cultural training throughout their career. New Democrats will also increase investments in non-police interventions, such as mental health and addiction supports.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Victims of Crime

NDP's promise

Provide victims access to the supports & services they need, such as counselling, referrals, police & court-related services, & a voice in decisions that may impact their safety.

Québec

Official Languages

NDP's promise

Work with the provinces & territories to improve minority language education; Attract more French-speaking immigrants to Canada; Modernise the Official Languages Act with stronger oversight & accountability, and expand the scope of language rights; Require all Supreme Court justices to be bilingual; Adopt the principal of asymmetry; Improve access to services in the official language of choice.

Canadians are proud of our two official languages, and they form an important part of our identity and our communities all across the country. But instead of making the changes needed to strengthen and promote language rights, over the last four years the Liberal government neglected and even reduced support in some areas.

It’s time for a different approach, one that makes life easier and ensures a bright future for minority language communities everwhere (sic). A New Democrat government will enhance the Action Plan for Official Languages to improve access to services in the language of choice, including working with the provinces and territories to improve minority language education, and attract more French-speaking immigrants to communities all across the country.

We’ll also modernize the Official Languages Act to strengthen oversight and accountability, expand the scope of language rights and ensure that minority language communities are consulted on decisions that impact them. New Democrats will make sure that Canadians can access justice in their language of choice, and that judges on the Supreme Court are bilingual.We will also adopt the principal of asymmetry, which recognizes that as a minority official language, French requires particular protection and promotion.

These efforts will happen alongside our commitment to the promotion and revitalization of Indigenous languages – recognizing that honouring Canada’s linguistic heritage must include reconciliation.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Seniors & Senior Care

Aging in Place

NDP's promise

Develop national care standards for home care and long-term care; Make the Canada Caregiver Tax Credit refundable.

We will work collaboratively with patients, caregivers, and provincial and territorial governments to develop national care standards for home care and long-term care, regulated by the same principles as the Canada Health Act. By doing so, a New Democrat government would legally protect access to home care and long-term care services, and ensure a consistent quality of care across the country.

This process will be backed by funding tied to meeting these standards, and include determining a core basket of home care services that will be available and covered by provincial insurance plans, and setting minimum national care standards for long- term care residents. We will also work with the provinces to develop and support workforce strategies and violence prevention to recruit and protect front-line staff, and ensure a safe working environment for personal support and health care workers.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Health & Security

NDP's promise

Lead a National Seniors Strategy to work with provinces, territories, & Indigenous governments to prioritise seniors' health care, reduce isolation, & reduce seniors' poverty; Fund a national dementia strategy; Work with seniors to develop an elder abuse prevention plan.

To deliver these results all across the country, a we will lead a National Seniors Strategy that will work with the provinces, territories and Indigenous governments to make seniors health care a priority, reduce isolation and tackle seniors’ poverty. This will include a funded national dementia strategy, and an elder abuse prevention plan developed with seniors to put an end to abuse and neglect in our communities.

Our national pharmacare for all plan will provide prescription medicine to all seniors, saving seniors hundreds of dollars every year and ensuring that no one needs to choose between medicine and other essentials, and our dental care plan will mean that uninsured seniors can go to the dentist when they need to, without facing costly bills.

Seniors deserve a retirement that’s financially secure and dignified. And no senior should miss out on benefits they qualify for because of a paperwork oversight – but that’s exactly what’s happening to tens of thousands of seniors today. We’ll put in place a one-year delay to help seniors at risk of having their GIS benefits suspended for being unable to make the required income statement.

Many seniors are themselves caregivers to a loved one, or rely on the caregiving of family members. In order to help make life a little more affordable for caregivers, who are overwhelmingly women, we’ll make the Canada Caregiver Tax Credit refundable. This will provide thousands of dollars to the most low- income caregivers, many of whom have given up work completely to care for a loved one.

Every senior should have a safe and affordable place to call home. Our commitment to create half a million affordable housing units in the next decade will include accessible housing that will increase choices for seniors. We’ll also support connection to community and tackle seniors’ isolation by improving seniors’ access to technology and support to stay connected with family, providing more funding for community programs that do outreach to seniors to combat isolation, working with cities to make transit more affordable and convenient, creating more community recreation spaces, and supporting innovative housing solutions like intergenerational co-housing.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Long-Term Care

NDP's promise

End private, for-profit long-term care; Bring long-term care homes under the public umbrella, beginning with the federally owned long-term care company Revera; Work with patients, caregivers, & governments to develop national standards for home care & long-term care, to ensure access to a consistent quality of care country-wide.

New Democrats believe that families need access to quality home care and long-term care no matter where they live. To that end, we will end private, for-profit long-term care and bring long-term care homes under the public umbrella, beginning with the federally-owned long term care company Revera.

We will work collaboratively with patients, caregivers, and provincial and territorial governments to develop national care standards for home care and long-term care, regulated by the same principles as the Canada Health Act. By doing so, a New Democrat government would legally protect access to home care and long-term care services, and ensure a consistent quality of care across the country.

This process will be backed by funding tied to meeting these standards, and include determining a core basket of home care services that will be available and covered by provincial insurance plans, and setting minimum national care standards for long- term care residents. We will also work with the provinces to develop and support workforce strategies and violence prevention to recruit and protect front-line staff, and ensure a safe working environment for personal support and health care workers.

Better long-term care starts with making sure that the workers providing this care have better wages, stable jobs and health and safety protections. Paying and protecting long term workers will be an essential part of our approach to national standards.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Old Age Security & the Guaranteed Income Supplement

NDP's promise

Create a Pension Advisory Commission to develop a long-term plan to enhance Old Age Security; Increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement; Make automatic enrolment in OAS and GIS retroactive.

We are committed to strengthening public pensions and improving retirement security for all Canadians and providing a basic guaranteed livable income for seniors. A New Democrat government will create a Pension Advisory Commission to develop a long-term plan to enhance Old Age Security, boost the Guaranteed Income Supplement to lift all seniors out of poverty, and strengthen the Canada Pension Plan. We’ll also make automatic enrollment in OAS and GIS retroactive, so no retiree misses out on benefits that they should be receiving, and support efforts to make sure Canadians have good retirement financial literacy.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Transit & Transportation

Intercity Transportation

NDP's promise

Develop a public intercity bus system; Support creating high-frequency rail along the Quebec-Windsor corridor; Expand rail service options in other regions; Work to restore the Ontario Northlander.

For provinces and municipalities that identify it as a priority, we will help them build towards fare-free transit to ease commutes, help people make ends meet and lower emissions. To help replace the loss of Greyhound routes, we’ll develop a public inter-city bus system. We will also support creating high-frequency rail along the Quebec-Windsor corridor, expand rail service options in other regions, and work to restore the Ontario Northlander to support the crucial transportation link for communities and businesses alike in Northern Ontario.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Transit Investment

NDP's promise

Permanently double the Canada Community-Building Fund; Emphasise scaling low carbon transit projects, including electrifying transit by 2030; Help provinces & municipalities build toward fare-free transit; Promote smart community planning & active transportation; Implement a permanent, direct, allocation-based funding mechanism for modern public transit.

Municipalities are already making investments in public transit in their communities, but they need a federal partner to champion public transit throughout the country. New Democrats will modernize and expand public transit within and between communities across Canada, and ensure that federal transit funding flows with an emphasis on scaling up low carbon transit projects like zero-emissions buses and electric trains with the goal of electrifying transit and other municipal fleets by 2030.

For provinces and municipalities that identify it as a priority, we will help them build towards fare-free transit to ease commutes, help people make ends meet and lower emissions. To help replace the loss of Greyhound routes, we’ll develop a public inter-city bus system. We will also support creating high-frequency rail along the Quebec-Windsor corridor, expand rail service options in other regions, and work to restore the Ontario Northlander to support the crucial transportation link for communities and businesses alike in Northern Ontario.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Lastly, we will promote smart community planning and active transportation like walking and cycling, helping Canadians make choices that are healthier and more affordable for everyone. And we will work with other levels of government to encourage the use of electric bikes and their safe integration into our active transportation network.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

When it comes to getting around, public transit should be a convenient and affordable option that makes your commute easier – all while taking cars off the road, cutting emissions and reducing gridlock. New Democrats understand that getting our communities moving is critical for our economy and our quality of life – that’s why we’ll put in place a permanent, direct, allocation-based funding mechanism for modern public transit across Canada for the long run. We’ll also step up investments now to help cities transition their bus fleets to electric, and to expand affordable rail and bus options in all parts of the country. And for municipalities that make it a priority, the federal government should work with them towards fare-free transit to ease commutes and make life more affordable.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Zero-Emission Vehicles

NDP's promise

Extend federal incentives for zero-emissions vehicles, and expand incentives to $15k per family for made-in-Canada vehicles; Waive federal sales tax on zero-emissions vehicle purchases; Move all federal government vehicle fleets to Electric Vehicles by 2025, using vehicles made in Canada where possible; Build out charging infrastructure.

Because we know Canadians want to do their part, we will make it easier to get and use a zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV). As Canada moves towards 100% of all new car sales being zero-emissions by 2035, we will make sure that more of these vehicles are built here in Canada. A New Democrat government will extend federal incentives for ZEVs and provide a break for working families by waiving the federal sales tax on ZEV purchases, and grow these incentives up to $15,000 per family for made-in-Canada vehicles. We will expand the use of ZEVs in the public sector – including Crown Corporations – and by freight vehicles. To make ZEV use easier for Canadians in all regions, we’ll build out Canada’s charging infrastructure and help people purchasing new or used ZEVs cover the cost of installing a plug- in charger. We will create a centre of excellence for research and development of ZEVs to move forward related technologies such as hydrogen, batteries, and energy storage solutions. We will look for further opportunities related to green hydrogen fuel cell technology which could help reduce emissions for heavy trucks, freight, marine and aviation sectors. And we will look at ways to strengthen the low-carbon fuel standard.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Misc. topics

Accessibility

NDP's promise

Uphold the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Expand the Accessibility Act to cover all federal agencies equally, with power to make and enforce accessibility standards in a timely manner.

Broadcasting & Streaming

NDP's promise

Modernise the Broadcasting Act to create a level playing field between Canadian broadcasters & foreign streaming services.

CBC & Radio-Canada

NDP's promise

Increase funding for CBC & Radio-Canada.

Canada Post

NDP's promise

Restore door-to-door mail delivery to all communities that had it before cuts under the Conservative government.

Canada's Armed Forces

NDP's promise

Make sure troops have equipment, training, & support; Ensure funding supports national & international defence commitments, with a focus on advancing multilateral peacekeeping initiatives; Oppose the privatisation of services on Canadian Forces bases; Prioritise mental health support for service members and their families; Reform the universality of service principle.

We need to do better for Canadians in uniform and for the defense of our country. A New Democrat government will make sure that our troops have the equipment, training, and support they need to do the difficult and dangerous work we ask them to undertake. We will ensure that funding supports our national defence and international commitments, with a renewed priority of advancing multilateral peacekeeping initiatives around the world.

Here at home, New Democrats are committed to bringing our search and rescue response times up to international standards, and ensuring that our capabilities are sufficient to meet the needs of the North.

In contracting for new military equipment, including ships and fighter jets, New Democrats will ensure maximum industrial benefits and jobs. This will help ensure the survival of healthy shipbuilding and aerospace industries all across Canada. And when it comes to operations here at home, New Democrats oppose the privatization of services on Canadian Forces bases across the country.

Our vision is a military where Canadian Armed Forces members can work safely, get the support they need when they need it, and count on fair policies to govern their work.

A New Democrat government will make mental health support for members and their families a priority. No member or veteran of the Canadian Forces should ever feel that they are all alone in dealing with the impact of their experiences or in transitioning to civilian life. They – and their families – need to know that their country and their government has their back, during their service and for the rest of their lives.

We are also committed to putting an end to sexual harassment and assault in the military. The Liberals have talked about the issue for six years but have failed to make needed changes, while survivors of sexual misconduct continue to suffer from a culture of silence and impunity that extends right to the top of the chain of command. We will immediately implement the recommendations of the Deschamps Report, including establishing independent oversight and accountability for sexual harassment and assault in the military.

New Democrats will also ensure that the recruitment and retention efforts of the Canadian Armed Forces reflects the diversity of Canada. Finally, we will reform the universality of service principle to make sure that ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members are not unfairly pushed out of service.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Elections

NDP's promise

Bring in Mixed-Member Proportional Representation within a first mandate by establishing an independent citizen's assembly to recommend the best way to put it in place; After a first election under MMPR, hold a referendum to pick between the old & new systems; Lower the voting age to 16.

A New Democrat government will bring in mixed-member proportional representation that works for Canada – and we will do it in our first mandate in government. We’ll establish an independent citizen’s assembly to recommend the best way to put it in place for the next election to ensure both local representation and a federal government that reflects the voters’ choice of parties.

Once Canadians have the opportunity to experience the new voting system and compare it to the old one, we will hold a referendum to confirm the choice.

Young people are increasingly engaged in the world, and many are worried about facing a future with rising inequality and catastrophic climate change. It’s no surprise: often they can see themselves paying the biggest price for the decisions governments are making today. Young people can and should have a say in their future. Simply put, if you are old enough to work and pay taxes, you are old enough to have a say in who forms the government. It’s time to lower the voting age to 16.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Financial Advice & Institutions

NDP's promise

Require financial advisors to offer advice in their customers' best financial interests; Expand powers to investigate and enforce such rules.

Government Ethics & Lobbying

NDP's promise

Add tougher penalties to the Conflict of Interest Act; Ban government officials from accepting donations from anyone whose private interest could be benefited by their decisions; Ban corporations facing criminal charges from lobbying elected officials; Introduce an ethical, social, & environmental screen on government procurement; Allow the Auditor General to review government advertising.

New Democrats will bring in tougher penalties in the Conflict of Interest Act to ensure that the abuse of public trust is treated seriously, and to fully ban cash-for-access events we will prohibit government officials from accepting donations from anyone whose private interest could be benefited by their decisions.

The rule of law also has to be free from political interference. Unfortunately, the last six years have made it clear that for this Liberal government, there is one set of rules for the well-connected – and another set of rules for the rest of us.

That’s why New Democrats will formally prohibit corporations facing criminal charges from lobbying elected officials. Prosecutions of corporate crime must be thorough and completely independent of political interference.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

We’ll also introduce an ethical, social and environmental screen on government procurement, so that Canadians can be confident that their tax dollars are not going to pay for bribes in foreign countries, or pollution that we'll all have to pay to clean up later. Finally, we will empower the Auditor General to review taxpayer-funded government advertising to make sure that it is non-partisan.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Government Services

NDP's promise

Require governments to create & publish binding services standards for programs such as EI, veterans support, passports, Canada Revenue Agency call centres, & other services; Hold ministers responsible for those targets.

When it comes to accessing help from government, people want reliable services that work – but the Liberal government failed to even pay public servants correctly, and the Conservatives are more interested in making cuts than in making government work. A New Democrat government will put in place a Service Guarantee that will make departments responsible for establishing and publishing binding service standards for programs like Employment Insurance, veterans support, Indigenous services, passports, Canada Revenue Agency call centres, and other services. Ministers will be held responsible for delivering on these targets.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Public Service

NDP's promise

Replace the Phoenix pay system; Reduce the contracting-out of of government work.

Right-to-Repair

NDP's promise

Establish a right-to-repair on electronic devices and other prices.

Rural & Northern Services

NDP's promise

Improve access to in-person services in Northern and rural communities; Expand the Volunteer Firefighters Tax Credit; Work with Canada Post to develop a model of postal banking; Reestablish vital regional air routes; Invest in regional economic development agencies; Implement a tax credit for graduates to work in rural or Northern communities; Increase funding for rural infrastructure.

People in rural Canada deserve better access to services – and the future of our rural communities depends on those services being available. That’s why a New Democrat government will focus on improving access to in-person services in Northern and rural communities. In order to make our rural and Northern communities safer, and to recognize the selfless work of our volunteer emergency responders, we’ll also expand the Volunteer Firefighters Tax Credit and ensure that federal funding for rural and First Nations policing is made available in a fair, predictable and sustainable way.

In many rural areas, simple things like going to the bank have become complicated and difficult. Despite record profits, financial institutions are closing rural branches and cutting services in more and more communities every year. It’s clear that we need to find other ways to deliver these important financial services. Today, almost 1,200 rural communities in Canada have a post office, but no financial services. That’s why a New Democrat government will work with Canada Post to develop a model of postal banking that will help nearly two million Canadians access more affordable, quality banking services where none are currently available.

Travel is a necessity of life in rural Canada – and it should be easier to get around without putting a dent in the family budget. But instead of improving rural transit services, the lack of funding and coordination under this Liberal government made the situation worse. Combined with Greyhound’s route cancellations, too many communities have been left stranded without reliable transportation services.

New Democrats believe that every community in Canada should be able to count on reliable transit to connect them to their jobs, health care services, schools, and family members. Greyhound’s service cuts have hit rural communities hard, and we need a reliable alternative to help people get where they need to go. That’s why we’ll work with the provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to create an affordable public transit service that connects rural areas, including restoring cancelled bus services, expanding into under-served areas , restarting the Ontario Northlander train, re-establishing vital regional air routes and much more to keep our communities connected.

Staying connected digitally is more essential than ever, yet too many rural communities in Canada don’t have reliable cell phone or broadband service.

A New Democrat government will change that, delivering high-speed rural broadband to all communities in Canada without delay, and ensuring that reliable cell phone service is expanded to every area of Canada – while keeping rates affordable for families and businesses.

Rural Canada drives at least a third of the country’s economy, but successive Liberal and Conservative governments have missed the opportunity to develop these regions to their full potential. COVID-19 has hit small communities and rural areas hard, and Canada’s economic recovery plan needs to respond to that reality. A New Democrat government will invest in regional economic development agencies and provide economic support for rural areas to invest in job creation in areas like tourism and community development.

Many Northern, rural and remote communities are working hard to retain families, attract workers and stop out-migration, but they can’t do it alone. That’s why New Democrats will put in place a new tax credit for graduates to work in designated rural and Northern communities, and make it easier for employers to hire and retain the workers they need.

To make all of Canada’s communities sustainable for the long term, we need to change how we build them. Rural communities need fair access to federal infrastructure and transit funds, and more help to prepare for and deal with the increasingly severe impacts of climate change. New Democrats will work with provinces to put in place a new deal for rural infrastructure programs that provide long-term predictable funding for communities – and we’ll increase the amount of help the federal government provides to communities to adapt to climate change and rebuild when disasters happen. We’ll make sure that affordable housing investments go to rural communities, too – and that federal infrastructure dollars flow now to create good local jobs that stay in the community.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Sexual Harassment & Assault in the Military

NDP's promise

Immediately implement the recommendations from the Deschamps Report, including establishing independent oversight & accountability for sexual harassment & assault.

The Senate

NDP's promise

Insist the Senate changes its rules to expedite the passage of legislation; Work with the provinces towards abolishing the Senate.

We'll work with the provinces towards abolishing the Senate. In the meantime, a New Democrat government will insist that theSenate change its rules so unelected Senators can't hold up legislation for months when it has already been adopted by the elected Members of Parliament, who have been sent by voters to Ottawa.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

Veterans

NDP's promise

Work with veterans to design a system to provide fair benefits to veterans, including equal access to lifetime pensions; Get rid of backlogs for veterans' services by providing 1 caseworker for every 25 veterans, enacting automatic approvals for common injuries, & hiring more disability adjudicators; Expand the caregiver allowance to more people; Make the Veterans Ombudsman fully independent.

A New Democrat government will honour the special bond of mutual obligation between Canadians and veterans, and deliver the services that veterans need and deserve. As part of this process, we will work with veterans to design a system that provides fair benefits to all veterans, including equal access to lifetime pensions.

Veterans shouldn’t have to wait weeks or even months or years to receive the services they need. We’ll get rid of backlogs and step up high-quality, personalized service delivery by actually providing one caseworker for every twenty-five veterans, hiring more disability adjudicators to clear the backlog, putting in place automatic approvals for the most common injuries, and improving services that are delivered by phone and online.

There’s also much more that we can do to ease the transition from service for veterans. A New Democrat government will give Canadian Forces members access to care and support before the transition, and make sure that their benefits are in place before they are released from service.

New Democrats know that sometimes a sacrifice abroad means being unable to care for yourself when you return, and we will help support veterans and their families by expanding the caregiver allowance to more people.

New Democrats will work with partners in community services and the veterans community to end veteran homelessness for good – because one veteran on the streets is one too many.

To ensure that taxpayer money earmarked for veterans care actually gets spent on it, we will automatically carry forward all annual lapsed spending in Veterans Affairs to improve services. There should never be an incentive for any government to save money on the backs of veterans.

And finally, to hold all governments accountable to the sacred commitments we make to veterans, New Democrats will make the Veterans Ombudsman fully independent so they can report transparently and directly to Canadians.

Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27



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Biography

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As a biologist, Richard has spent his life working tirelessly to defend BC’s habitats and wildlife. Since becoming a member of Parliament in 2015, he’s brought that same dedication to Ottawa — helping everyday people and protecting our environment.

Richard knows that we must fight the climate crisis like we actually want to win. And that we can do that by investing in good, sustainable jobs in South Okanagan–West Kootenay so workers are not left behind. He is also standing with Jagmeet and the NDP to make sure everyone can afford to have a safe place to call home and deliver on a Universal Pharmacare plan, so no one has to choose between their medication and putting food on their family’s table. Before entering politics, Richard advised the provincial and federal governments on environmental policy and was the author of several award-winning books on BC’s unique wildlife. He was named BC’s Biologist of the Year in 1996 and has deep family roots in the Okanagan Valley.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic Richard has worked hard with his NDP colleagues in parliament to get more support for people, faster. He helped ensure that working Canadians had access to CERB, that students and seniors received support, and defended small businesses. While the Liberals and Conservatives were working for Canada’s ultra-rich during the pandemic, Richard continued to fight to get results for families and workers.



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