The agreement between the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Liberal Party of Canada (LPC) is now a thing of the past. The Duty looks back at the main achievements of an agreement that was historic.
Dental care
The Canadian Dental Care Plan, one of the centerpieces of the agreement, came into effect last May. Under the program, children, seniors and people with disabilities who do not already have dental insurance — and whose household income is less than $90,000 — can be reimbursed for the cost of certain dental care treatments. Access to the plan is expected to be expanded to all Canadians who meet these criteria in January 2025. Quebec did not appreciate what it sees as an incursion into its areas of jurisdiction and demanded the right to opt out with full compensation.
Drug insurance
The pharmacare bill (C-64), another big piece of the deal, was tabled in parliament in February 2024. It includes plans to provide free contraceptives and diabetes medications. The legislative text, which is currently before the Senate, indicates, however, that the provinces and territories wishing to benefit from the program will have to conclude agreements with Ottawa. Health “is not a question of [compétence]”, in my opinion,” said federal Health Minister Mark Holland when the bill was tabled. Quebec, which already has a similar regime, has instead asked for financial compensation.
Anti-strikebreaking law
In June 2024, the anti-strikebreaking bill (known as “anti-scabs “) received Royal Assent. As of June 20, 2025, employers will be prohibited from using replacement workers during a strike or lockout in federally regulated workplaces. Although it was a priority of the NDP, the bill received unanimous support from all parties in the House of Commons. Another gain from the agreement: federally regulated workers now have 10 days of paid sick leave per year.
Reconciliation
Many of the NDP demands were aimed at reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. In this regard, in December 2023, the NDP boasted of having “secured a total of $8.3 billion in federal funding to address urgent housing needs for Indigenous people living in urban, rural and northern areas” as part of its agreement with the Liberals.
Democracy and cost of living
At the end of March, The Duty compiled the 27 commitments made in 2022 as part of the NDP-LPC agreement. Almost all of them have been completed or were in the process of being completed. These include a one-time $500 supplement to the Canada Housing Benefit, a tax on financial institutions that made big profits during the pandemic, and certain measures to promote democratic health and tackle the climate crisis.