5 issues the government must act on now

Tom Mulcair presented the progressive opposition’s expectations on several important issues to Canadians, including the economy, healthcare, childcare, climate change, and the refugee crisis.

Following the government’s Economic Update last week, Mr. Mulcair is calling on Liberals to come clean about their fiscal plans.

“Will the Liberal government backtrack on their promises for change? Will they run larger deficits? Or will they cut public services even further?” asked Mr. Mulcair. “Those options are not progressive and they will hurt Canadian families expecting change.”

He also called on the government to reverse Conservatives cuts to health care, to work with the Premiers to create affordable childcare spaces and, ahead of COP21 in Paris, to follow Premier Notley’s lead and commit to real action on climate change.

“In order to achieve measurable progress, Canada must first set ambitious targets, with immediate measurable action and compulsory reporting and enforcement set down in law,” said the Leader of the NDP.

Let’s follow Premier Notley’s lead and bring an ambitious climate change plan to the world stage.

On the Liberal’s commitment to bring in 25,000 refugees before the end of the year, Mr. Mulcair reiterated the NDP’s support of safely helping those in need but also called on the Liberals to show transparency in terms of the cost being much more the commitment in their election platform and in terms who which refugees be excluded.

While security concerns remain of vital importance, will a young man, who lost both parents, be excluded from the refugee program?” Mr. Mulcair asked. “Will a gay man who is escaping persecution be excluded? Will a widower who is fleeing Daesh after having seen his family killed be excluded? This is not the Canadian way.”