North Island-Powell River NDP MP Rachel Blaney wants the Liberal government to follow through with all the promises made in the Sept. 23 throne speech.
“This government says all kinds of nice things, but when it comes to taking action and getting support where it’s needed, we see a very different picture,” said Blaney in a statement.
In the throne speech delivered by Gov. Gen Julie Payette, the Liberal government promised to create over one million jobs, eliminate chronic homelessness, implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, establish a universal pharmacare plan, extend the wage subsidy and support for hard-hit small businesses and establish a Canada-wide childcare system among others.
READ MORE: Liberals vow wage-subsidy extension to 2021, revamp of EI system in throne speech
Blaney said that while the Liberals’ promises made the speech seem like an NDP throne speech, the federal government was yet to fulfil many of those.
“The Liberals have been promising pharmacare for 23 years, but have yet to deliver for Canadians,” said Blaney.
She also said that the bill to adopt and implement the UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous People was introduced by NDP MP Romeo Saganash and passed by the House of Commons in 2018 only to be killed by the Senate in 2019. The government has yet to reintroduce the legislation.
A recent report showed that of the government’s much talked about National Housing Strategy, barely $7 million dollars (less than one per cent of the first $1.5 billion) has supported much-needed housing projects in BC communities, said Blaney.
“If we believed the government was going to deliver on all of their promises today, there would be no need for NDP MPs like me to hold them to account,” said Blaney.
“But it’s been very clear the last several months, every step of the way we’ve had to fight to convince the government to work with us to deliver the help people needed.”
Blaney and her NDP colleagues will continue to work in the coming days to force the government to back up their words with real action to support Canadians.