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Jagmeet Singh retrenching NDP policy around the needs of the working class

NDP leader addresses some of his priorities during Vancouver Island visit
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Campbell River food bank volunteer Bob Naylor helps federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh fill a bag of food for a food bank client during Singh害羞草研究所檚 visit to Campbell River on Jan. 23. Photo by Marc Kitteringham/Campbell River Mirror

Jagmeet Singh was running a few minutes late.

North Island-Powell River NDP MP Rachel Blaney wasn害羞草研究所檛 terribly surprised.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 probably stopping to talk to everyone out there,害羞草研究所 she told representatives from Campbell River害羞草研究所檚 social support network gathered to share their challenges with the federal NDP leader.

In town to discuss affordability, both in terms of housing and food security, Singh joined Black Press Media staff for a stroll around the block and a one-on-one interview.

The needs of the various non-profits he spoke are very real, he said.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e hearing more more stories from people that are having a hard time making ends meet. Even families that have jobs have a home, they害羞草研究所檙e feeling the squeeze. Knowing that, I can only imagine how much harder it is for someone who doesn害羞草研究所檛 really have housing or doesn害羞草研究所檛 really have enough income to make their bills or just get by.害羞草研究所

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害羞草研究所淲e have to focus on the problems, but then look to solutions and that害羞草研究所檚 what folks in the room were really quick to do. They had great ideas about what we could do to fix this and that to me was a hopeful message coming out of the meeting.害羞草研究所

However, translating local on-the-ground needs to federal policy can be tricky. Singh says that one way is to treat the cause of a problem instead of the symptoms.

害羞草研究所淚n housing it害羞草研究所檚 getting at the fact that housing is being used like like a casino or a stock market to make money,害羞草研究所 he said. 害羞草研究所淵ou gamble on buying property here and you hope you can make a lot of money off of it.害羞草研究所

Singh would like to see tax laws used to make it less attractive to use housing as a money-maker. Fixing the affordability crisis has been focused on either reducing the cost of living or lessening the load on regular people. However, Singh said that wages were not keeping up with inflation even before the current crisis, and there are ways people can advocate for higher income.

害羞草研究所淲e know one of the best ways to a good-paying job that has enough to pay the bills is to make it easier to join a union. So we害羞草研究所檙e looking at ways of strengthen the ability to join the union,害羞草研究所 he said, adding that anti-scab legislation was also on the NDP docket.

Singh has been signalling a focus on the NDP being the party of the working class. During an NDP caucus meeting earlier this month he said the Liberal Party is 害羞草研究所渨aging a war害羞草研究所 on workers. Singh said that was referring to the Bank of Canada害羞草研究所檚 approach to inflation.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檝e said that you can害羞草研究所檛 increase wages to keep up with inflation,害羞草研究所 he said. 害羞草研究所淭he Bank of Canada害羞草研究所檚 approach right now to the inflation is raising interest rates 害羞草研究所 It makes it harder for people that have got a mortgage and it makes it harder for people who have debt.害羞草研究所

害羞草研究所(The Liberals) are choosing a path to make more pain for workers while they害羞草研究所檙e ignoring that the wealthiest corporations have made huge profits in this inflationary period so they害羞草研究所檝e really chosen a side,害羞草研究所 he said. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e choosing a side to protect the wealth of the billionaires and chosen a path that害羞草研究所檚 gonna hurt workers. And to me that looks like class warfare.害羞草研究所

Workers are hurting, and towns with industrial economic bases are facing insecurity both in the short and long terms. One of those insecurities is related to climate change, and Singh害羞草研究所檚 NDP has a plan for a just transition for industry workers.

害羞草研究所淭he Inflation Reduction act in the States and the decisions that the Biden Administration have made around clean energy investments have meant that there is a risk that we fall behind; workers in Canada fall behind if we don害羞草研究所檛 also have a clear strategy around investing in some of these jobs in the future,害羞草研究所 he said. 害羞草研究所淲hat can we do knowing that one of the world害羞草研究所檚 largest economies 害羞草研究所 has chosen to invest in clean energy or in jobs in a sector that reduces emissions?

害羞草研究所淐limate change means that different jobs or different sectors are being impacted. Those workers might might have volatility or unpredictability in their jobs 害羞草研究所 It also means that there害羞草研究所檚 certain areas that we need to make investments because there害羞草研究所檚 going to be an opportunity for us to create really good jobs 害羞草研究所 I could include things like on-land containment for fish farms or something like that 害羞草研究所 We害羞草研究所檙e looking at how we can transition any any process that we have into a more sustainable way to do it that still creates those good jobs.害羞草研究所

Other industries are not immune.

Many regions are facing health care worker shortages. These shortages are exacerbated by the housing crisis. Even B.C. Premier David Eby and his family had in Port McNeill when they tried to relocate there for his wife害羞草研究所檚 medical career during the pandemic.

To Singh, the health care worker shortage is a national issue, and requires a national response 害羞草研究所 beyond just improving housing.

害羞草研究所淭he federal government has to play a role in supporting with funds for opening up more seats in colleges and universities,害羞草研究所 he said, adding that they have to be 害羞草研究所渕aking sure that we pay our healthcare workers adequately so they can be in communities. So this is very top of mind and we have we have real concrete things that we could do to fix it.害羞草研究所

Health care is one of the main priorities for the NDP this year, with the health care, dental care and pharmacare coverage all major parts of keeping the confidence and supply agreement with the Liberals in place.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e proud of the work that we害羞草研究所檝e delivered so far or the work we害羞草研究所檝e done so far and I害羞草研究所檓 not satisfied though. I know there害羞草研究所檚 more that needs to be done this year. We害羞草研究所檙e gonna keep on fighting,害羞草研究所 he said.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e proud that we were the only party in Parliament that害羞草研究所檚 actually pushing for these changes.害羞草研究所

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marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com

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Marc Kitteringham

About the Author: Marc Kitteringham

I joined Black press in early 2020, writing about the environment, housing, local government and more.
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