Well, that was unexpected. Waking to a spring day on March 22nd seemed like a day that would be like all the others that came before it. A day where politically savvy Canadians would be looking at the latest updates of the CPC leadership race, waiting for Doug Ford to sign on to the federal child care proposal, and one where we’d be looking at the Russia-Ukrainian conflict once again. But instead, the Liberals and the NDP have made quite an unexpected move. A move that many progressives in both camps of the LPC and NDP appreciate. An agreement between the two parties to move forward and implement key policy positions that have been long contested in Canada as vital policies that should be implemented and policies that a majority of Canadians support. Let’s explore what the Liberal-NDP deal could mean for Canadians.
The first policy includes the introduction of a means-tested dental care program. Where households with incomes less than $90,000 will receive dental coverage and households with incomes less than $70,000 will pay no co-pays to their dental health providers. Full implementation of this program will be completed by 2025 with dates set to expand eligibility this year and 2023. This policy set in the agreement is great as it provides low-income Canadians with the dental coverage they need while making sure their expenses are low to non-existent. Low-income Canadians will no longer have to save up to receive treatment for crucial and needed dental health services. This means the overall cost of healthcare for Canadians should be less and should also keep them healthier in the long run. Of course, this means-tested dental program should eventually be expanded to cover all Canadian regardless of income. Nevertheless, it is a great start to introduce a dental program.
The second big policy also follows an extension of healthcare. Implementation of a national universal Pharmacare program. This program’s schedule consists of passing a formal Pharmacare Act by 2023, having a complete list of medications covered by the program by 2025 and putting in place a bulk purchasing plan at the national level. The goal of Pharmacare is to reduce the prices of many prescription drugs as well as completely cover some basic prescriptions based on a list of essential medications. This policy has a wide impact on all Canadians as it both covers and lowers their drug costs in the long run thus increasing accessibility to vital medications and reducing the burden of cost on low-income Canadians.
There are some other sprinkles in the agreement such as expanding Election Day to 3 days instead of only having 1 day, taxing our large financial institutions more, prohibiting the use of scab workers during strikes in federally regulated industries, and most importantly - legislating a Long-Term Care Act to ensure safe and improved national Long-Term care standards.
In regards to whether or not some of these policies will indeed be implemented - I remain cautiously optimistic for two reasons. (1) The political advantages of this deal are present for both parties. The NDP gets to receive major credit for receiving concessions by demanding these policies, and the LPC receives assurance that their confidence votes will be passed in Parliament thus making it easier for the Liberals to pass their election platform and overall vision. And (2) every time a supply-confidence motion has been agreed to between the NDP and Liberals, it has only ever been for the benefit of Canadians. The last couple of supply-confidence agreements between the NDP and Liberals led to our universal healthcare program, the Canada Pension Plan, and the Canada Student Loans Program. If history tells us something, then it tells us that Canadians are in to enjoy great government social policies in just a few years.
Now does this mean that the Liberals are governing in a new age? Maybe. It could be that stability really is on the minds of the Liberal caucus and they just want to get key policies passed before another party takes over the governing baton. Or it could be a signal that Trudeau is in fact attempting to leave behind a legacy. A legacy where in a decade or two, Trudeau will take credit for implementing universal childcare, a dental program, Pharmacare, and a historic increase in healthcare spending that is focused on delivering better healthcare results. Policies that will all be viewed as highly favourable to Canadians in the future, all accredited to Trudeau’s governance.