Ottawa, March 22: The federal Liberals and New Democrats have finalized an agreement that, if maintained, would keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government in power until the end of the current Parliament in exchange for progress on longstanding NDP priorities.
Trudeau announced on Tuesday morning that the confidence-and-supply agreement has been brokered, is effective immediately, and will remain in effect until June 2025.
“We’re different political parties, we stand for different things. But where we have common goals, we cannot let our differences stand in the way of delivering what Canadians deserve. That’s why we’re taking this step,” said Trudeau.
The agreement will see the NDP caucus prop up the government in future confidence votes and back them on four budgets, in exchange for progress before the next election on several key policy issues that are shared Liberal-NDP priorities.
Called “Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement,” the two parties have agreed that over the next three years the government will:
- Launch a new dental care program for low-income Canadians. Starting with under 12-year-olds in 2022, expanding to under 18-year-olds, seniors, and persons living with disabilities in 2023, and then full implementation by 2025, with no co-pays for anyone earning less than $70,000 annually.
- Continue progress towards a universal national pharmacare program passing a ‘Canada Pharmacare Act’ by the end of 2023, and then tasking the National Drug Agency to develop a national formulary of essential medicines and a bulk purchasing plan by the end of 2025;
- Advance a series of measures aimed at affordability and housing costs including a ‘Homebuyers Bill of Rights’ and an ‘Early Learning and Child Care Act’;
- Proceed with policies and programs meant to target climate change;
- Ensure supports for workers are implemented including supporting labour unions and starting the 10-day paid sick leave policy imminently;
- Invest more in Indigenous reconciliation including supporting residential school survivors;
- Improve fairness in the tax system by addressing profits made by big banks during the pandemic; and
- Eliminate barriers to democratic participation by exploring ways to expand how people can vote such as improving mail-in balloting and potentially allowing a three-day voting period.
The deal, worked out by party leadership, was presented to Liberal and NDP MPs for approval on Monday night. The news was well received in the Liberal caucus, according to sources. And, according to a senior NDP source, while that party’s caucus was not in unanimous support, the majority was.
Confirming the deal on Tuesday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said on social media that his party will “always use our power to make life better for Canadians.” Singh is speaking to the media at 10:30 a.m. ET.
“Canadians are determined to build a better, more prosperous future… In these highly uncertain and difficult times, Canadians expect us to come together and get to work to help make their lives better,” said the party in a statement outlining the full details of the deal.
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