After taking full credit for some measures in the 2023 budget, New Democratic Party (NDP) Leader Jagmeet Singh has hinted that his next priority will be a ban on scabs.
“Every day without this law is a day in which the bosses have more power than the workers. More power to lower wages! “, chanted Mr. Singh in front of a handful of his supporters and employees gathered in Ottawa on Wednesday morning.
All smiles and a round of applause, the leader of the fourth party in the Commons listed everything he “forced the Liberals to do” in the most recent federal budget, tabled Tuesday by the Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland.
In particular, he claims to be behind the national dental care program, for which the budget reserves $13 billion this year, and was immediately rejected by the Quebec government. Jagmeet Singh also argues that it was he who had the idea of doubling the GST refund, which Ottawa is doing for a second year “for groceries”. He says he is behind the condition of ensuring “good jobs” in return for green industry subsidies.
The NDP is finally taking credit for the announced $4 billion for Indigenous housing over seven years starting next year, even though it’s “not enough.” “Yesterday’s budget showed that when New Democrats have power, they do things for people,” said its leader.
Under its deal with the Liberal Party of Canada, the NDP pledged to keep Justin Trudeau in power until 2025 in exchange for a phased dental plan, as well as than 26 other policies. A compilation made by The duty in March showed that most of the commitments had already been fulfilled. After the 2023 budget, there are now only a handful of promises yet to be fulfilled.
An agreement almost achieved
In particular, the Trudeau government and the NDP have agreed to create various laws whose texts have not yet been unveiled. By the end of 2023, the Liberals must in theory pass a law on drug insurance and another on national standards in CHSLDs. The last budget mentions no such thing.
The New Democrat leader, Jagmeet Singh, however, limited himself Wednesday to mentioning the promise to prohibit companies under federal jurisdiction from using replacement workers in the event of a walkout or lockout, or “scabs”. The Quebec deputy and deputy leader of the NDP, Alexandre Boulerice, confirmed that this file was a priority for him.
“We do not understand why it is not already filed. The consultations ended on January 31. The government is dragging its feet, we don’t have to wait until November or December,” said the elected Montreal official. He offers the Minister to copy his own bill he tabled on this subject, tabled in Parliament in October 2022 and ignored since.
Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan has reiterated his promise to unveil his legislation by the end of 2023. The challenge, he says, is not to disrupt labor supply chains. case of work stoppage.
Two hours for a chicken
“Imagine what we can do together when we lead. That’s why I want to become Prime Minister and lead an NDP government! said Mr. Singh on Wednesday, galvanized by what he read the day before in the Liberal budget.
In front of the 24 other elected members of his caucus, a very small minority among the 338 deputies in the Commons, he said of his political partner Justin Trudeau that he is “disconnected from the reality of the workers”. In his opinion, the Bloc Québécois “whispers” and the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Pierre Poilievre, “is focused on cutting services”.
“Some people have to work just two hours to buy a chicken, it doesn’t make sense! “, was scandalized the progressive politician. He mentioned the profits of large grocery stores among other battles he intends to wage that have nothing to do with the agreement with the Liberals, such as employment insurance reform and the banning of private health.