Â鶹´«Ã½

Politics

    • The Liberal-NDP deal is dead. What did it accomplish?

    Share

    The Liberal-NDP deal is dead.

    NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh revealed Wednesday that he’s “ripped up†the supply and confidence agreement with the Liberals. With this major parliamentary pact now caput, here’s a look at everything the deal accomplished — and what’s been left unfinished.

    The parties inked the deal in March 2022, seeing the NDP prop up the minority Liberals and prevent an election in exchange for progress on certain policies.

    But after years of steadfast support, with the Liberals slumping in the polls, the NDP increasingly critical of them – plus public pressure from the Conservatives to scrap the pact – it is officially no more.

    Here’s a look at what the deal — which had been set to expire in June of next year — got done.  

    Dental care

    A national dental care program was one of the keystones of the confidence-and-supply agreement, with plans to roll out coverage, especially for children, seniors, and low-income Canadians.

    The Liberals have touted it as one of the largest social programs in Canadian history, and as part of a phased rollout, began accepting claims for dental coverage for seniors in May.

    Eligibility then expanded to children under the age of 18 and Canadians with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate in June, with remaining eligible Canadians scheduled to gain access in 2025.

    The program faced early criticism from dentists for what they say was an administrative burden, along with confusion over its reimbursement model. However, the federal government announced last month that more than 2.3 million Canadians have been approved for coverage and more than 75 per cent of dental care providers are now participating in the program. 

    The federal government has committed $13 billion over five years for the program, starting in 2023-24, and is budgeting $4.4 billion annually going forward.

    Pharmacare

    After extensive negotiations and deadline extensions to table a framework bill, the Liberals moved ahead with the Pharmacare Act in the spring.

    Singh has called the plan — which outlines the "foundational principles" of a national universal drug coverage plan, but does not directly implement one — “historic.â€

     

    NDP leader Jagmeet Singh meets with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

    The legislation includes a commitment to first launch diabetes medication and birth control coverage for Canadians, through a single-payer system, contingent on provincial and territorial agreement.

    The bill has passed the House of Commons, but was left on-hold in the Senate when it broke for the summer.

    The Parliamentary Budget Officer has estimated the plan could cost taxpayers billions of dollars annually, and some provinces have said they plan to opt out of the national program if it is implemented.

    Enshrining child care

    The Canada Early Learning and Child Care Act — which received royal assent in March — enshrines into law the Liberals’ cornerstone social program commitment to the Canada-wide early learning and child-care system.

    The legislation was a requirement under the confidence-and-supply agreement, and goes beyond existing $10-a-day daycare bilateral agreements between the federal and provincial governments, laying out a guiding set of principles to create more spaces.  

    While childcare has become more affordable for parents, Statistics Canada data indicates finding a care space has become increasingly challenging.

    Anti-scab protections

    In May, MPs unanimously voted to pass a bill designed to ban federal employers from using replacement workers — also known as “scabs†— during lockouts or strikes.  

    Then-labour minister Seamus O’Regan touted the legislation as “the biggest thing to happen to collective bargaining in Canada in decades,†while celebrating the all-party support for the bill.

    The new protections are set to apply to an estimated one million employees, working for approximately 22,350 federally regulated employers, excluding the public service, and allows for some narrow exceptions as they relate to health or safety cases.

    Building more homes

    The Housing Accelerator Fund was initially announced as part of the Liberal campaign platform during the 2021 election, with the goal of boosting housing supply in a bid to improve affordability and increasing efforts to get the plan off the ground was stitched into the deal with the NDP.

    But the program — which incentivizes municipalities to speed up new housing builds by cutting red tape and updating their zoning and permit systems — had no earmarked funds until the 2022 federal budget as part of a larger, $10-billion housing-focused package.

    New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks in the Foyer of the House of Commons about the NSICOP report, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Thursday, June 13, 2024. (Patrick Doyle / The Canadian Press)

    And the first project — a $74-million deal with London, Ont. — was only announced last September.

    Singh, at the time, called it a “good start,†and the Liberals have since announced partnerships with several other municipalities as part of the fund.

    Sick leave for some workers

    When the Liberals and NDP signed their deal in early 2022, they signalled that ensuring 10 paid sick days for federally regulated workers would be one of the first promises on the docket.

    The permanent change to the Labour Code came into effect by December of that year.

    Some industries, however, have argued the protected paid sick leave should extend beyond federally-regulated workplaces.

    What didn’t get done?

    While the NDP pull-out comes after the vast majority of the confidence-and-supply deal line items have been checked off, some are being left at the table.

    Progress has been made on a number of other initiatives — including drafting a Homebuyer’s Bill of Rights, proposing sustainable job supports, and a slate of proposals geared toward advancing Indigenous Reconciliation efforts — though aspects of these policies have yet to be fully realized.

    Further, a bill that includes a range of electoral reform initiatives is still working through the House with amendments ahead, and the pledged safe long-term care act has yet to be tabled.

    With files from Â鶹´«Ã½ National Correspondent Rachel Aiello and Â鶹´«Ã½ Supervising Producer Stephanie Ha

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

    A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    A team of tornado experts are investigating a path of damage through Wellington County.

    Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.

    A B.C. teen has a suspected case of H5N1 avian flu — the first known human to acquire the virus in Canada.

    Canada

    • A 15-year-old boy from Kitchener, Ont. is facing a long list of criminal charges as the Waterloo Regional Police Service wraps up a lengthy swatting investigation.

    • Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    • Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.

    • A team of tornado experts are investigating a path of damage through Wellington County.

    • The federal government is urging both sides in the British Columbia port dispute to return to the table after mediated talks broke off on Saturday, the first of three scheduled days.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    • Canada will be without captain Alphonso Davies for its upcoming CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

    • The Edmonton Oilers may have found the break they were looking for.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.

    • A B.C. teen has a suspected case of H5N1 avian flu — the first known human to acquire the virus in Canada.

    • A suspect was arrested for allegedly brandishing a knife outside a Vancouver elementary school on Friday – just as the young students were heading home for the day.

    • Several hundred people gathered outside the Ontario legislature in Toronto to honour veterans and remember those who died fighting for their country.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada’s largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • A man believed to be in his 40s has been rushed to a trauma centre following a stabbing in downtown Toronto.

    • EXTENDED VIDEO

      EXTENDED VIDEO

      Calgarians observed Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city on Monday, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

    • A memorial walk was held Sunday afternoon by the Calgary branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress to “honour the Canadian soldiers who died fighting for peace in the past and the Ukrainian soldiers who are giving their lives for freedom today,†according to a media release.

    • July 2025 may seem like it’s in the distant future, but for the St. Luke playground committee time is ticking to fundraise the $340,000 they still need to build a new playground.

    • Crowds gathered in Ottawa and eastern Ontario on Monday to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of Canada.

    • The company confirms it will open the new Chipotle at 5671 Hazeldean Road on Thursday, in the former location of Benny & Co.

    • The Fleet Street Pumping station is Ottawa's oldest water facility. Up to two-thirds of the city's water supply can move through it,

    • A 36-year-old Montreal man who was out on bail after allegedly uttering death threats to a woman is now accused of murdering her on the South Shore.

    • Private Martine Roy was only 20 years old in 1984 when she was arrested, interrogated and dismissed from the Canadian Armed Forces for being what was then termed a "sexual deviant."

    • A South Shore woman accused of murdering her wife and the couple's children was in court today for the beginning of the trial.

    • Edmonton's Beverly Memorial Cenotaph on Monday hosted its 104th Remembrance Day service to honour past and present veterans.

    • A member of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton participated in the national Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa on Monday.

    • Thousands of Maritimers turned out in wet weather Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother’s death, during the Second World War.

    • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday’s Remembrance Day Ceremony.

    • Thousands gathered at the RBC Convention Centre on Monday to bear witness to a sombre and historic Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • Four teenagers have been arrested in connection with the attack and robbery of a 62-year-old woman.

    • A sacred fire burning in Winnipeg has brought healing and hope to some members of Xavia Skye Lynn Butler’s family.

    • November 11th marks a solemn day across Canada, and Regina is no exception.

    • Fire crews reported that no one was hurt after flames broke out in a home on Robinson Street in central Regina.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book ‘War Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.’

    • A team of tornado experts are investigating a path of damage through Wellington County.

    • A 15-year-old boy from Kitchener, Ont. is facing a long list of criminal charges as the Waterloo Regional Police Service wraps up a lengthy swatting investigation.

    • Two buildings in downtown Hamilton collapsed early Monday morning but firefighters say no injuries were reported.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.

    • Oxford OPP say that they are investigating a collision that resulted in serious injuries on Sunday evening.

    • A team of tornado experts are investigating a path of damage through Wellington County.

    • WATCH

      WATCH

      The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • A Barrie man is accused of being at the centre of an alleged $2.2 million stolen used car scheme.

    • An unseasonably mild fall in Simcoe County has put any hopes for an early start to the ski season on hold, still, one local resort has its sights set on the slopes.

    • Environment Canada issued a weather alert for Barrie, Collingwood and surrounding areas, alerting residents about the wicked winds that are expected to pick up to 80 kilometres per hour in the afternoon hours.

    • After a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) worker took their own life while on shift at the Ambassador Bridge Saturday, Â鶹´«Ã½ Public Safety Analyst Chris Lewis highlighted the mental health burdens faced daily by law enforcement.

    • Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

    • Windsor Paralympic champion, Danielle Campo, has been crowned the number one Inspirational Speaker of the Year for 2024 at the Inspirational Speaking Finals.

    • A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.

    • A B.C. teen has a suspected case of H5N1 avian flu — the first known human to acquire the virus in Canada.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year’s host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.

    • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

    • Police say that a 16-year-old was attacked with a sword Nov. 3 in Cobalt, Ont., in a case of intimate partner violence.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½