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NDP leader touts expanded B.C. shipbuilding during Vancouver Island visit

Jagmeet Singh also speaks to affordability and local concerns during Campbell River visit
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North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh toured a Campbell River boatyard business on March 5, 2024. Photo by Marc Kitteringham/Campbell River Mirror

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh wants to build Canada害羞草研究所檚 domestic shipbuilding industry, which he says will help build the coastal economies and improve affordability for Vancouver Islanders.

Singh was in Campbell River on March 5 as part of a west-coast tour. The tour was part of a North Island-Powell River riding visit, during which he also stopped in Powell River and Comox before moving down island to Courtenay and beyond. Affordability was on the top of Singh害羞草研究所檚 mind as he toured the Ocean Pacific Marine Store and Boatyard in Campbell River, but so were ideas about how to build stronger local economies.

害羞草研究所淲e want to be leaders internationally,害羞草研究所 said Singh about the national shipbuilding strategy. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e got so much coastline in Canada, we should be (leaders). The strategy only works if we make the right investments in communities so they can get bigger, expand and grow their skill sets.

害羞草研究所淭his is a local business that we want to see continue to grow,害羞草研究所 he said, gesturing at the boatyard behind him. 害羞草研究所淲e want to see these businesses get the support they need, and we think the federal government should be doing that.害羞草研究所

While strengthening Canada害羞草研究所檚 shipbuilding industry is one idea to improve affordability, Singh said that he has been hearing from other people in the community about their concerns.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e hearing from women, from Indigenous communities, and from working people that there害羞草研究所檚 been some progress made, and we can害羞草研究所檛 see that lost,害羞草研究所 he said. One of those areas of progress was a bill that will enshrine the $10-a-day daycare agreements the federal government has with provinces into law. That bill received concurrence in the house on Feb. 29, and it is awaiting royal assent.

害羞草研究所淚 remember someone in my constituency got the pilot project in B.C.,害羞草研究所 Singh said. 害羞草研究所淪he said it changes her life, knowing it will be more affordable, and as soon as they heard about the pilot project, they decided they were going to try to have a kid 害羞草研究所 that害羞草研究所檚 how transformative it is.

害羞草研究所淲e thought it害羞草研究所檚 not enough to just have these agreements in place,害羞草研究所 he said. 害羞草研究所淲e will make the permanent 害羞草研究所 we want to expand it.害羞草研究所

Singh and the NDP害羞草研究所檚 plans include higher wages for child care workers, as well as more spots available across the country. The next federal election is just over one and a half years away. Singh and the NDP maintain their confidence and supply agreement with the Liberals, though pharmacare and dental care have both moved forward. Their priorities now centre around affordability.

害羞草研究所(Affordability) is the biggest question of our time. I害羞草研究所檇 say lots of people are feeling the squeeze, particularly around housing and groceries,害羞草研究所 he said. Singh talked about his bill that would lower grocery prices, saying that part of the bill would set the penalty for corporations that profit from price gouging to three times whatever profit they made.

害羞草研究所淪o if they made $5 billion the penalty should be $15 billion now,害羞草研究所 he said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 deterrence. That害羞草研究所檚 gonna stop them from doing it. They see a threat of having to pay that level of fine. That害羞草研究所檚 a severe sanction that would stop them from ripping us off.害羞草研究所

That bill received second reading on Feb. 7.

To tackle housing prices, Singh said the NDP is focused on 害羞草研究所渞eal alternatives害羞草研究所 like non-profit housing, cooperative housing and building with federal investments to help lower the upfront costs of new builds.

害羞草研究所淲e talked to builders and they said 害羞草研究所榳ell, I have to stay market rates for the land, I害羞草研究所檓 gonna pay market rates for my workers, I害羞草研究所檓 gonna pay market rates for the materials, and so the house is gonna be market rate,害羞草研究所 he said. 害羞草研究所淲e need federal land, money, and power to build affordable homes.害羞草研究所

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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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