CHEF DU NOUVEAU PARTI DÉMOCRATIQUE DU CANADA LEADER OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF CANADA HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES CANADA JAGMEET SINGH DÉPUTÉ MP, BURNABY SOUTH BURNABY-SUD November 14, 2019 The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 Dear Prime Minister, On October 21, Canadians sent a clear message: they want a government that works together for them. If all parties hear that message, and act on it, the real winners of this election will be Canadians. In the months to come, New Democrats will be focused on getting things done and making life better for people. We are ready to work together to get results for Canadians who are struggling, to tackle the climate crisis, and to strengthen the services we all rely on. This work must begin immediately to deliver the help that people urgently need. Our priorities for this Parliament are clear. The NDP caucus will be focused on making sure that the government doesn’t work for the rich and powerful, but that it works on behalf of the everyday people who elected it. We believe that the foundation of all government actions must be true reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. From delivering basic services like clean drinking water to enshrining the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in law, New Democrats will push for reconciliation and justice. .../2 OTTAWA CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES HOUSE OF COMMONS OTTAWA, ONTARIO, K1A 0A6 TEL/TÉL : 613-995-7224 FAX/TÉLÉC: 613-995-4565 BURNABY SOUTH BURNABY-SUD 4940 KINGSWAY, BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA, V5H 2E2 TEL/TÉL : 604-291-8863 FAX/TÉLÉC: 604-666-0727 Jagmeet.Singh@parl.gc.ca -2I urge you to take an immediate step down this path by halting your government’s appeal for a judicial review of the human rights tribunal ruling on discrimination against Indigenous children, compensating those affected, and bringing in statutory funding to ensure that Indigenous child welfare services are properly funded going forward. Pharmacare and dental care for Canadians who need it will be a key priority for New Democrats in the coming Parliament. We will bring forward a framework for a national pharmacare program, and welcome the opportunity to work with you to expedite progress on legislation, funding, and implementation in 2020. Calling a Health Ministers meeting in January would be a good first step to begin the talks for national pharmacare. It is our expectation – and that of Canadians – that the upcoming Throne Speech will include a clear timetable that lays out a path to implementing universal, comprehensive, public pharmacare without delay. During the campaign, we also heard from many Canadians who were struggling to afford necessary dental care. New Democrats will work in this Parliament to deliver dental coverage for those who need it and we will be looking for indications in the Throne Speech that you share this priority. It is also urgent that this Parliament confront the climate emergency with bold action to reduce emissions and help communities adapt to climate change, including through new, tougher science-based emissions reductions targets enshrined in legislation with accountability mechanisms. The results of this election also show that many Canadians feel ignored by Ottawa. They are worried about keeping their jobs and afraid of losing their ability to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table for their families. They feel like your government has not been listening. Now, more than ever, it is important that our efforts to address the climate emergency lift up every community by supporting workers and creating good new jobs in every part of the country. We will fight to move forward with initiatives like energy efficient retrofits and made-in-Canada electric transit so we can save families money, protect the environment, and create good jobs. We will also be looking for targeted supports for impacted workers such as expanded access to Employment Insurance and training, as well. New Democrats will continue to push for electoral reform to make sure that all Canadians can feel confident that their votes count. If you had fulfilled your commitment to modernizing Canada’s electoral system after 2015, we would not be faced with the current situation where hundreds of thousands of Canadian voters in some regions like the prairies and Quebec are not represented at all. .../3 -3Every vote should matter, no matter where people live – so that people can vote for hope, rather than out of fear. You can also expect New Democrats to continue to fight to ensure that every Canadian has a home they can afford in their community. We are calling for significant new investments in affordable housing and tackling housing speculation. As part of this goal of making life more affordable for families, we will press you to lift the burden of student debt from our young people so they can start out with a bright future and cap cell phone and internet bills through regulatory, not voluntary, means. Finally, New Democrats will also work to ensure that the super-wealthy pay their fair share through a new super-wealth tax, by closing tax loopholes, and ending unfair tax giveaways – including fossil fuel subsidies – that currently benefit the richest people and corporations. These are our priorities. The New Democrat team is ready to fight tirelessly to deliver on them in the next Parliament. I invite you to join us in advancing these goals to make sure that Canadians are the real winners of this election. Yours sincerely, Jagmeet Singh, MP (Burnaby South) Leader of New Democratic Party of Canada