OTTAWA 鈥� NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says the first item of business they鈥檒l be looking to advance when the 43rd Parliament kicks off is the implementation of a universal pharmacare program. The New Democrats will also be challenging the government to immediately drop its appeal of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal鈥檚 child welfare ruling.
Singh spelled out these top orders of business while listing his party鈥檚 priorities for the new House of Common sitting, backed by his caucus on Parliament Hill where they all met for the first time since the election.
The single-payer pharmacare implementation bill will be introduced through the private members鈥� bill process, which is the only legislative avenue for non-government MPs to table bills. PMBs as they are called generally have a lower standing on the order of precedence and like all bills, require majority support to advance.
The demand to drop the appeal鈥攚hich ordered the government to who had been discriminated against by the government's child welfare system鈥攃ould come in a motion.
When asked what leverage they鈥檇 have to force the government鈥檚 hand on either issue, Singh said he鈥檇 look to build public pressure.
鈥淎 lot of Canadians wanted to see this government work with other parties, they need to work with other parties,鈥� he said.
With orientation for new MPs already underway, the NDP described today鈥檚 confab as their own caucus orientation session. The party has elected several fresh faces, while other longtime MPs lost their seats last week.
鈥楾hey鈥檙e going to need us鈥�
While the New Democrats are coming in to the 43rd Parliament with fewer seats than it had before the election, the party is optimistic about its ability to play kingmaker in a minority government with the 24 seats it holds.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to need us and we鈥檙e ready to work but we鈥檙e going to hold them to account because we鈥檙e going to demand real action that鈥檚 going to benefit Canadians, and real action that鈥檚 going to tackle the problems we鈥檙e faced with,鈥� Singh said.
The day after the Liberals secured a 157-seat minority government, Singh framed the next Parliament as a 鈥渉istoric opportunity鈥� to push for progressive policies, discussing his opposition to the Trans Mountain pipeline and desire to still see electoral reform come to fruition and reconciliation followed through on.
Though, the Liberals only need to secure 13 votes to pass bills, and depending on the issue the Conservative and Bloc Quebecois caucuses鈥攚hich both are larger than the NDP鈥� could provide that support.
Singh has framed the NDP support as needed if the Liberals want to advance any 鈥渘ational鈥� or 鈥減rogressive鈥� policies.
Two weeks before all ballots were counted, Singh also spelled out what he called the 鈥減riorities for Canadians鈥� that he鈥檇 advocate for in the next Parliament, regardless of the outcome.
Among what was on that list:
- National universal pharmacare and dental care
- Affordable housing and tackling money laundering
- Removing student loan interest and making cell phone bills more affordable
- Ending subsidies to oil companies and closing tax loopholes
On Wednesday Singh said these priorities remain the party鈥檚 focus.
Hasn鈥檛 spoken to PM
Singh said that other than conceding on election night, he hasn鈥檛 heard from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, nor has he spoken with the other opposition party leaders.
He said he thinks Trudeau should get in touch, adding that he鈥檚 鈥渙pen鈥� to conversations about the coming session, even if Trudeau has ruled out any formal or informal coalition, as Singh said he鈥檇 be open to.
Asked about the conversation surrounding Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer鈥檚 potential challenges ahead to remain at the helm of that party, Singh said he completely disagrees with Scheer鈥檚 positon that a prime minister can
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 clear you can鈥檛 in Canada,鈥� Singh said.
SNC-Lavalin scandal not finished
Singh also indicated that New Democrats will be looking to reopen the months-long and now nearly a year-old SNC-Lavalin scandal.
Over the course of the affair鈥攚hich centered on allegations of improper pressure being placed on the attorney general to push for the criminal trial against the Quebec-based company to be dropped鈥攎uch of the new information came to light through the committee process. Though, eventually the studies and calls for further digging were shut down by the Liberal majority.
Now, opposition parties will hold the majority of seats on committees, a shift in the dynamics that could mean more SNC-Lavalin scandal-esque probes.
鈥淚 think Canadians still want to know, I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 an issue that鈥檚 finished. There鈥檚 lots of opportunities perhaps in committee for these issues to be addressed and I think Canadians ought to know the truth of what happened,鈥� Singh said.
Caucus size reduced, 鈥榯hat鈥檚 life鈥� Singh says
Asked about what reflecting he has been doing on the race, that saw the size of his caucus reduced by 15 seats, Singh said he is still proud of the campaign he ran.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 life, sometimes it doesn鈥檛 work out,鈥� Singh said.
He said that while he is sad to see several multiple-election NDP MPs lose their seats鈥攕ome of which he is having dinner with Wednesday evening鈥攈e鈥檚 excited by the number of news faces that are part of his team.
Singh said he is not concerned about his future as leader being questioned.
鈥淚 got to introduce myself to Canadians and I think that they like what we stand for and I鈥檓 going to continue to fight for them,鈥� Singh said.
Could they afford a snap campaign?
While the NDP and the other opposition parties will have some leverage in the next Parliament, they all also have to contend with the reality that if they defeat the government on a confidence vote then they鈥檒l be in to another election campaign, which comes with a hefty price tag that some parties would have an easier time affording than others.
Asked if the NDP would even be in the financial position to go into another election, Singh said the party is in a 鈥済ood鈥� place, citing 鈥済reat鈥� campaign fundraising, though in comparison to the Liberals and Conservatives, the NDP were trailing going into the election.
鈥淚鈥檓 not going to deal with hypotheticals in terms of what鈥檚 going to happen until we see the throne speech, but I鈥檓 ready to let Canadians know where we stand,鈥� Singh said.
