NDP Platform launched Today Puts Focus On Families
Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Bruce Hyer
NDP National Platform tackles health care, pensions, job creation & affordability
THUNDER BAY, ON – New Democrats launched a national platform Sunday that commits to balancing the federal books within four years and shifting the government priority from unfocused and ineffective corporate tax cuts to jobs, health care, pensions, and affordability of life for middle-class families. Local New Democrat candidates said public consultations over the last two years helped make sure the platform reflected the priorities of everyday Canadians.
Thunder Bay-Superior North New Democrat Bruce Hyer said “I’m very pleased with our national platform launched today. New Democrats across Canada consulted widely with their constituents, with businesses, and with communities and brought the important issues to the table to develop our platform. It’s a process the New Democrat Northern Team helped pioneer right here in Northern Ontario, and so it’s no surprise that many Northern issues have been taken to the national level. Our platform priorities reflect Canadian priorities.”
The NDP platform contains 5 key commitments that New Democrats will address within the first 100 days of office:
- Hiring more doctors and nurses – training more doctors and nurses, and giving doctors that have left Canada incentives to come back home;
- Strengthen pensions – work with the provinces to double public pensions, protect workplace pensions during company bankruptcies, and offer more retirement savings choice;
- Kick-start job creation – give small businesses an immediate 2% tax cut, foster productivity growth, and bring in targeted tax credits for companies hiring in Canada;
- Help family budgets – cap credit card fees at prime +5, take the federal sales tax off home heating, and give consumers more control over cell phone bills;
- Fix Ottawa – stop the scandals, improve democratic accountability in Ottawa, and commit to working with other parties to get things done for Canadians.
“We have a fully costed, affordable plan that deals with the issues Canadians care about.” said Thunder Bay-Rainy River New Democrat John Rafferty. “Our plan fixes the financial mess the Conservatives have left in Ottawa, and balances the books within 4 years. We’re committing to immediate action right now to strengthen pensions, healthcare, and make life a little more affordable, instead of making vague underfunded promises for several years down the road.”
