Jagmeet and New Democrats Deliver for Canadians Waiting for Surgeries

OTTAWA – Just days after the announcement of an historic agreement with the Liberals, Canada’s NDP are already using their power to deliver for Canadians who need help now. Following the agreement, the government announced two billion dollars to deal with the barriers causing a backlog in surgeries for people across the country.

“Canada’s healthcare system has been stretched to its breaking point and Canadians and their families are having to wait to get the important surgeries they need,” said NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. “Without an immediate investment to address the needs of healthcare workers and the backlog of surgeries across the country, people haven't been able to get the care that they need. Today's announcement will help achieve some of that, but we'll keep using our power to get more help for Canadians.”

After abandoning his promise to reverse Stephen Harper’s cuts to the Canada Health Transfer, Justin Trudeau has failed to deliver the healthcare that Canadians need. After two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and threats of privatizing healthcare coming from the provinces, New Democrats know that now is the time to make significant investments in the public healthcare system.

“Unlike the Liberals or the Conservatives, New Democrats know that we have to protect and build the strength of our public healthcare system, not seek alternatives elsewhere. With this agreement, we used our power to deliver results for healthcare workers and for people waiting for surgery," added Singh. “Today, New Democrats have started delivering results for Canadians. And we’ll continue to deliver results on pharmacare and dental care to keep families healthy and put money back in their pockets.”