Canada's NDP

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November 25th, 2020

NDP calls for a recovery plan that creates good jobs and fights climate change

OTTAWA - Today, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and NDP MPs called on the Liberal government to provide a just and sustainable recovery plan that will support workers, families and communities with good jobs and a more affordable life while tackling the climate crisis.

"People are worried about having a job to go back to and they're worried about the cost of housing, prescriptions and childcare that keep going up, while their paychecks don't. At the same time, Canadians are frustrated that the government isn't tackling the climate crisis," said Singh. "We have an opportunity to address both the affordability crisis and the climate crisis by investing in just and sustainable alternatives that can rebuild our economy and create good jobs in our communities, while reducing pollution. But we need to do so in ways that put people first."

Last week, the Liberals introduced climate legislation but failed to put in any real accountability measure for the next ten years. If the decade-long delay for real accountability wasn't bad enough, the government is keeping Stephen Harper's 2030 target for up to nine months after this bill passes, and it's unclear what new target they'll choose after that.

"While other countries like Germany, France and the U.S. are releasing bold plans to fight climate change and create jobs in the recovery, Justin Trudeau's Liberal government is being left behind," said NDP Critic for Infrastructure and Communities, Taylor Bachrach. "Other countries are dealing with the pandemic too but they're coming out with recovery plans that will set them up for success in the future. Canadians deserve more than this government's stalling and broken promises. We need to act now before it's too late."

"Liberals pretend to be climate leaders, but they don't have a climate plan, they bought a pipeline, and they continue to handout over a billion dollars each year in giveaways to big oil," said NDP Critic for Environment and Climate Change, Laurel Collins. "Canadians are tired of the Liberals' empty promises. This is a chance for the Liberals to make a clear plan that will help people hurt by the pandemic while tackling the climate crisis head on. Climate accountability just doesn't work without real climate action."

New Democrats are asking the government to create good jobs while tackling the climate crisis by investing in retrofitting houses and public, institutional and commercial buildings, making transit more affordable and electrifying transit fleets to cut emissions as well as funding green infrastructure projects.