The upcoming 2023 federal budget will be a key way to determine whether the NDP's confidence and supply deal with the Liberals has been a success or a failure, according to the party's tax critic.
"I think the budget will show whether we're on a good pace or not," NDP MP Danielle Blakey told the CBC. "It's going to be a very interesting few months here on the Hill … when the budget comes down."
In March 2022, the New Democrats signed an agreement with the governing Liberals to secure the votes needed to pass major legislation if the Liberals agreed to advance some of the MDP's priorities. That deal will be a big talking point as Blakey and his 24 NDP colleagues attend a rally on Parliament Hill starting Wednesday.
New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh will kick off the morning with a press conference. He promises to address issues such as health care and the inflation crisis. The rest of the meeting will be closed.
In closed sessions, Blakey will update his colleagues on ongoing discussions with the federal government as part of a bipartisan group of policymakers and staff formed after the signing of the agreement to discuss progress on key commitments and priorities. .
Expansion of the pharmacy and dentistry plan on the MDP radar
Although many of these priorities do not have deadlines, some do.
For example, 2023 was supposed to be the year the Liberals passed the Canada Medicines Act, and then a procurement plan and a national formulary or essential drug list would follow until the OK expires.
In 2022, dental coverage was expanded to include children up to age 12 in families earning less than $90,000. Expanding dental coverage for middle-income families to 18-year-olds, seniors and people with disabilities would take another step this year under the deal.
"We hope to see that in early 2024," Blakey said.
© Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press NDP funding critic Danielle Blakey is part of a panel discussion about the Liberals' Supply and Confidence Agreement and the NDP's key commitments and priorities.
The New Democrats will scrutinize Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland's spring budget to see if the Liberals are serious about sticking to the rest of the deal, according to the finance critic.
Blakey noted that since most budget preparations are done months in advance, the 2022 budget was largely developed before the confidence and supply agreement was signed. That's why he says the next budget will "say a lot" about what the NDP-Liberal deal looks like.
"It will be an important moment of reflection for our team as we think about next year and whether the government is doing a good enough job."
PKD will protect the public health system
Along with promoting various aspects of the deal, Blakey said the New Democrats will push the Liberals to fix the health care system.
He said Canadians "are seeing their health care system fail at a time when they need it most."
Ontario's Progressive Conservative government announced plans Monday to increase the number and choice of surgeries offered at not-for-profit clinics across the province.
After the announcement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was open to "providing better health services for Canadians."
Meanwhile, Ontario and the federal New Democrats have left no doubt about the party's stance on a private system on public funds, saying parallel systems would create competition for scarce human resources.
"The ADP government is going to go against the provinces on private deliveries and we're watching that closely," Blakey said.
"We are unequivocal in our message to government that protecting public service offerings must be a priority for the federal government."
Blakey called on the federal government to use the "leverage" at its disposal to find solutions against conservative provincial governments that may target private health facilities.
A health workforce strategy is needed. Work group
What Canada needs is a national strategy for health workers, according to the country's largest labor organization with close ties to the PHD.
Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labor Congress, said the strategy would help Canadian governments recruit, train and retain health workers.
"Our public system is in trouble and we are calling on all levels of government to work together to ensure that Canadians across this country have strong public health care," said Brusk, who will also addresses the NDP caucus on Wednesday. . .