The Liberal Party and New Democratic Party announced they had reached a deal on pharmacare, paving the way for the two parties to continue the confidence and supply agreement that has helped them stay in power beyond March 2022.
the parties have arrived agreement However, there are still some items on the list that are not completed.
The deal would give the minority Liberal government support from New Democratic Party MPs on confidence and budget issues, avoiding an early election. Instead, the Liberals agreed to address several NDP policy priorities. Pharmacare was just one of those companies.
The Pharmacare Agreement was a key condition of the NDP entering into the Confidence and Supply Agreement, which expires in June 2025.
The government missed the original deadline for the Pharmacare Agreement, the end of 2023, and set a new deadline of March 1.
In a Friday interview on CBC. rosemary burton live On Sunday’s broadcast, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the draft bill was developed after weeks of consultation between the two parties. He said this would set the framework for a national pharmacare program and provide new coverage for contraception and diabetes treatment in the short term.
In an interview with CBC’s Rosemary Barton Live, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said his party and the Liberals have reached a pharmacare agreement that covers contraceptives and diabetes drugs.
“We’ve secured something really important. I would say it’s really historic for Canadians. We’re really excited about this,” Singh said.
Another notable aspect of the agreement is the dental care plan announced last December. The $13 billion national dental plan currently covers seniors aged 72 and older and is expected to expand to all eligible uninsured low- and middle-income Canadians by 2025.
A big win for workers
The agreement introduced 10 days of paid sick leave for all federally regulated workers. It came into effect in December 2022.
The government has also introduced legislation on alternative workers. C-58, dubbed the “anti-scab” law by union leaders and others. It is currently on second reading in the House of Commons.
The bill, a major victory for the NDP and labor movement, would make it illegal for employers in federally regulated industries to bring in replacement workers during legal strikes or lockouts.

The bill would also require unions and employers to negotiate which services will continue in the event of a dispute, within 15 days of notice of a strike or lockout. If no agreement can be reached, the matter will be referred to the Industrial Relations Board of Canada, which will issue a decision within 90 days.
The agreement also led to laws and new policies, including: childcare, settlement, housing, tax fairness and sustainable employment.
But there is more the federal government must do to fulfill its promise to the NDP.
Nursing care law
One of its pledges is the introduction of the Safe Long-Term Care Act, which, according to the language of the bipartisan agreement, would “guarantee older adults the care they deserve, regardless of where they live.” Become.
It remains to be seen what the federal government will include in the bill. In July 2023, Online consultation It was established to inform the development of this law. It operated until September 2023.
a discussion paperwas also announced by the federal government last year, highlighting potential elements of the Safe Long-Term Care Act. The report says it can help “develop a framework and action plan for long-term care”, focusing on “training and education…public awareness” and “data collection”.

The discussion paper also states that the Safe Long-Term Care Act “reflects the shared responsibility of all levels of government for the welfare of older adults and people with disabilities, without imposing standards or standards.” [regulating] Providing long-term care. ”
Home Buyer Bill of Rights
Pharmacare agreements are not the only ones that have missed their deadlines.
The Liberal Party and the NDP have vowed to implement a Home Buyer’s Bill of Rights by the end of 2023. The idea was first proposed at the Liberal Party convention. 2021 Election Platform.
The platform’s documents say its aim is to ensure the home buying process is “fair, open and transparent.”
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On paper, the Liberals’ agreement to support the NDP should prop up a minority government until next summer. But in return, the Liberals agreed to a pharmacare bill, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has threatened that a deal could be completed past the looming March 1 deadline. So could the deal end in the coming weeks? Would the Liberal Party really risk holding an election now? And did the deal result in an NDP victory that voters will remember? CBC’s chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton is back to unpack it all.
The federal government has announced plans to develop this legislation. 2022 federal budget. The bill says it will “work with states and territories over the next year to develop and implement legislation” and “advance a national plan to end blind bidding.”
In the blind bidding process, potential buyers submit an offer on a home without knowing how many other offers there are or how much it’s worth.

of 2023 budget The government said it was working hard to pass the legislation, pledging to “level the playing field for young, middle-class and new Canadians.”
The budget also includes measures to “ensure the legal right to a home inspection, require disclosure of whether a real estate agent represents both parties in a potential sale, and ensure transparency of sales price history.” He said that there is a possibility that it will be included.
electoral system reform
The confidence supply agreement also promises that the government will “work with Elections Canada to explore ways to expand the ability of citizens to vote.” This includes “allowing people to vote at any polling station within their constituency” and improving the process for voting by mail.

The Democratic Party of Japan has been promoting electoral system reform for many years. On February 8, the Liberal Party voted no. motion 86asking the federal government to “determine whether electoral reform is recommended for Canada, and if so; [to] Recommend concrete measures to promote a healthier democracy. ”
NDP MP Lisa Marie Barron sponsored the motion. The House ultimately rejected it.