FEDERAL NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Tuesday said that the government’s fall economic statement (FES) shows just how out of touch Trudeau’s Liberals are.
He said that leading up to the announcement, New Democrats had made it clear that they wanted to see measures that lower grocery prices and rent to help Canadians. The only measures in the FES that will make a difference for Canadians are the result of the NDP pushing, but it remains a drop in the ocean.
Following the FES, Singh said, now more than ever, Canadians need a government that makes life easier for them, not one that panders to lobbyists and CEOs.
“Canadians are working hard and playing by the rules, but life keeps getting harder for everyday people. Almost 2 million people use food banks – many of them are working people – while big grocery stores like Loblaws are making record profits. Rent is at an all-time high while big corporate landlords and big-money developers are cashing in,” said Singh. “While [Conservative Leader] Pierre Poilievre is focused on cutting and gutting services Canadians rely on, Trudeau’s Liberals are all about maintaining the status quo — with those two – CEOs win, and Canadians lose.
“Today, the Liberals had a chance to show that they are getting what people are going through, but they failed again. The only tiny measures that will lower grocery prices for families and build more truly affordable homes — are the result of the NDP pushing and remains too little for the crisis we are in.”
In this FES, New Democrats said they called for measures to build homes people can afford which led to an additional $1.3 billion in funding to build an estimate 7,000 homes that people can actually afford. The NDP said it will fight to get this funding available right away and for the amount to be increased in the next budget. Much more needs to be done, and the NDP is not done fighting.
The NDP also called for measures that lower grocery prices and end the free ride of big groceries CEOs which led to the government announcing further changes to the Competition Act that are in Jagmeet Singh’s private member’s bill. Those results will ultimately lower prices for Canadians, protect competition and crack down on price-gouging and price-fixing. The NDP said it is pleased to deliver these results but much more could have been done to lower prices for Canadians.
“While Poilievre’s cut-and-gut Conservatives would have slashed services like dental care and Trudeau has to be forced to give any help to people, an NDP government would do more to make life more affordable for Canadians,” said Singh. “This Fall Economic Statement shows what choices Canadians will have to make in the next election – Conservatives that cut services for people and hand over tax giveaways to wealthy CEOs and their companies, Trudeau’s establishment Liberals delay action because it benefits their rich friends, lobbyists, and CEOs; or New Democrats that will make sure you pay less and get more by giving you more support and ending the free ride for wealthy CEOs and corporations. It is time to make Ottawa work for people, not wealthy CEOs.”
