NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says Liberal government needs to get to work for Canadians

OTTAWA – Following yesterday’s Throne Speech, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is urging the Liberal government to move past empty promises and to make immediate changes to help Canadians. Singh says Justin Trudeau has failed to get Canadians the help they need to recover from the pandemic, take urgent action on the climate crisis or take meaningful steps to help families afford to buy or rent a home in their community.

“Yesterday’s Throne Speech didn’t do much to reassure Canadians that the Liberal government is going to have their backs the way they promised during the election campaign,” said Singh. “In the past six years, the Liberal government hasn’t backed up their talk with action and things have gotten worse. The cost of housing has skyrocketed. Just this year people have seen some of the worst extreme weather events destroy their communities in places like British Columbia. And Canadians across the country are still feeling the pain of Stephen Harper's cuts to the healthcare transfers that Justin Trudeau maintained. New Democrats will continue to stand up for Canadians on these issues and make sure they have the help they need to recover from the pandemic.”

Singh continues to call for real action on the climate crisis that includes eliminating fossil fuel subsidies and helping workers find good jobs in renewable energy, helping prepare communities in the face of the climate crisis, helping Canadians afford housing by building half a million new homes and making real investments in health care.

“We can improve health care services with pharmacare, dental care and mental health care. We can also take better care of our frontline health care workers and ensure everyone has the sick leave they need to keep themselves and their families safe,” said Singh. “Instead of just talking like the Liberals have done for years, New Democrats believe in taking action and actually delivering the help Canadians desperately need. We’re going to keep pushing the government to take action.”

The NDP have also been urging the government to legislate 10 days of paid sick leave, reinstate the Guaranteed Income Supplement and the Canada Child Benefit for Canadians who have seen that support clawed back, stop fighting Indigenous children in court and end discriminatory and harmful practices like conversion therapy and the blood donation ban for men who have sex with men.