The wait for pharmacare has gone on long enough
When the NDP and the Liberals signed their confidence-and-supply agreement in March, one element that generated a lot of excitement was a pharmacare plan. This is something that has been promised for more than 50 years, since the Hall Royal Commission report established medicare in the 1960s. Then came the April budget. Where was pharmacare? […]
Transport Minister Alghabra’s office reaches 19 staff
There are five new staff to report, and one departure, in Transport Minister Omar Alghabra’s office since Hill Climbers’ last dive into the team in late December, including Emma Kristensen, who’s been brought on as director of appointments, cabinet, and parliamentary affairs. Kristensen joined Alghabra’s team in January after roughly two years as an operations […]
The meaning of the Liberal-NDP Agreement
TORONTO—There is both more and less to the Liberal-NDP confidence-and-supply deal than meets the eye. Referring to the deal as “NDP-Liberal government” as interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen has done or a “Liberal-NDP government” as Esprit de Corps magazine editor Scott Taylor does in The Hill Times is ridiculous, as ridiculous as calling Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s […]
‘Centrist’ Grit MPs support Liberal-NDP agreement ‘at this time,’ but ‘very concerned’ about financial aspect of deal, says nine-term Liberal MP Sgro
A seasoned government backbencher says she supports the Liberal-NDP confidence-and-supply agreement “at this time,” but indicated that support could falter if the cost involved in honouring this deal turns out to be too high, adding she’s not alone in caucus with her concerns. “At this time, because of the stability issue, I am supportive of […]
Liberals live up to dental care promise and other key areas of NDP deal; NDP will support budget
The NDP will support the Liberal budget after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland delivered on the specific promises outlined in the confidence-and-supply agreement, including dental care. In crafting a pact with the NDP, the Liberals made specific promises to ensure the House of Commons’ fourth party would help them see their […]
Who’s who on the Liberal, NDP House leader and whip teams
Along with meetings between the leaders, the Liberal-NDP agreement lays out plans for “regular” meetings between their respective House leaders and Whips, making it as good a time as any to explore who is working in these key offices. As described in the confidence-and-supply deal, “both parties agree to the minimum standing meetings” of “at […]
‘I’d keep one eye open when it comes to the Liberals,’ says former NDP MP
The confidence-and-supply agreement is a good opportunity for the NDP, the fourth place party in the House, to keep itself relevant nationally but at the same time, it will have to be vigilant to ensure the governing party delivers on the promises they made, says a former NDP MP who ran but lost in the […]
Broadbent says NDP ‘should be worried’ Liberals won’t live up to commitments in upcoming budget, must keep pressure on
In the ramp-up to the upcoming federal budget, the New Democrats have found themselves with more elbow room at the negotiating table this year, thanks to their recent confidence and supply agreement with the governing Liberals. While some of the content of that agreement is expected to emerge by way of tangible commitments in the […]
Liberal-NDP deal promises nothing more than a pharmacare pantomime
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh stepped over broken promises about pharmacare walking down the aisle to join Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a confidence and supply agreement. The “marriage” vows included a new promise—not to implement pharmacare, but about “continuing progress” toward a national program by passing legislation next year and making a plan to bulk […]
Liberal, NDP deal brings hope in fog of Ottawa politics
We saw a refreshing ray of hope shine through the grey fog of Ottawa politics last week. Watching NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announce their confidence-and-supply agreement last week was a welcome antidote to the noxious partisan rhetoric of recent weeks and months. I felt like I could almost see Jack […]
