Focus BC: Pierre Poilievre on the ground in B.C., Jagmeet Singh on corporate greed
Focus BC is focusing on federal politics this week. In the Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, edition of Focus BC, host Richard Zussman starts his conversation with federal Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre and later speaks to federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh.
BC1
Feb 9
Singh encourages provinces to embrace national Pharmacare program: ‘It’s going to take negotiations’
Together, the Liberal and NDP governments introduced legislation to create a framework for a national single-payer Pharmacare program on Thursday. Though Alberta and Quebec have expressed interest in opting out of the upcoming offering, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has encouraged all Canadian provinces to embrace the plan and negotiate with Ottawa.
Canada
Feb 29
NDP’s Singh ‘not surprised’ Alberta intends to opt out of national pharmacare plan
On Monday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh reacted to Alberta’s intention to opt out of the national pharmacare plan. “I’m not surprised that they don’t want to invest in something like medication coverage that would save the lives of people,” he said.
Canada
Feb 26
Singh brushes off possible pharmacare opt-outs by some provinces
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh brushed off recent opposition to the Liberal-NDP pharmacare deal by some provincial premiers who have said they intend to opt out — including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. As Sean Previl explains, there’s no word on how opting out could work, as the days inch closer to the expected tabling of the...
Canada
Feb 26
NDP reaches national pharmacare deal with Liberals. Here’s what it will cover
After months of negotiations, the minority Liberal government and the NDP say they have reached a deal to start a new national pharmacare program in Canada, according to NDP leader Jagmeet Singh. David Baxter has the details.
Canada
Feb 23
Singh says Liberals need to meet pharmacare commitment: ‘They should not count on any additional support’
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said on Friday that if the Liberals are not able to meet their commitment on national pharmacare legislation, the party should “not count on any additional support” from the NDP.
Canada
Feb 16
Alexei Navalny’s death is a ‘reminder about who Putin is,’ Singh says
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh spoke about the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Friday, saying that it is “a reminder about who Putin is “and that it highlighted “how important it is for us to stand with the people of Ukraine.”
World
Feb 16
Liberal government has met with pharmaceutical lobbyists over 250 times in past 2 years: Singh
Speaking on Friday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said his party is pushing for universal pharmacare coverage for all, but the Liberal government have been “dragging their feet and we’ve learned why: Over the past two years the Liberal government has met with pharmaceutical lobbyists over 250 times.” Singh added “It’s clear who side they are...
Canada
Feb 16
NDP’s Singh threatens ‘consequences’ if Liberals do not meet pharmacare deadline
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh warned Tuesday that there would be “consequences” if the Trudeau government does not meet its March 1 deadline to deliver on a pharmacare plan. Singh stopped short of promising to trigger an election, but said it’s supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberals would be broken.
Canada
Feb 13
Manitoba murders highlight ‘epidemic of violence against women’ in Canada: Singh
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh offered his condolences Tuesday following the grisly murder of five people in Manitoba, including three children, saying the deaths highlight the issue of gender-based violence in Canada. He said Canada is facing an “epidemic of violence against women.”
Canada
Feb 13
Global National: Feb. 23
After months of negotiations, the minority Liberal government and the NDP say they have reached a deal to start a new national pharmacare program in Canada, according to NDP leader Jagmeet Singh. The final details of the offer will be presented soon, and will include coverage for birth control and diabetes medication. Canada also announced...
Global National
Feb 23
NDP ramping up its push for a deal on a national pharmacare plan
Health Matters: NDP leader Jagmeet Singh says his party’s political pact with the Liberals could collapse if a pharmacare bill is not introduced by the deadline, which has been extended to March 1. Katherine Ward has this story and more in Health Matters for Feb. 9, 2024
Health Matters
Feb 9
Singh: Health-care procedure decisions should be between patients and their doctors
Reacting to Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre’s comments Wednesday that the decision to use puberty blockers should only be made by adults, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he believes health-care procedure decisions should be made between a patient and their health-care provider, “not Pierre Poilievre.”
Canada
Feb 7
Singh asks Trudeau why he is ‘punishing Palestinian children’ with UNWRA funding pause
Speaking during question period on Wednesday, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said that though “serious allegations” against United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNWRA) staff need investigation, he also asked why Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was “punishing Palestinian children.” Trudeau responded by saying that Canada support the investigation and that the federal government’s “determination to provide relief”...
Canada
Jan 31
Singh says NDP only ‘reluctantly’ agreed to Emergencies Act after federal court ruling
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Tuesday that his party only “reluctantly” supported the Emergencies Act, after a federal court ruled the Trudeau government violated the Charter of Rights and Freedom when it invoked the act during the “Freedom Convoy” that descended on Ottawa in 2022. He said the NDP would be watching the government’s appeal...
Canada
Jan 23
NDP’s Singh says ‘This is historic,’ as Canada moves closer to Universal Pharmacare program
As the federal government of Canada introduced the long-awaited bill relating to a national Pharmacare strategy in Parliament on Thursday, NDP Leader Jameet Singh celebrated the win and said, “This is historic,” adding, “We have taken that big first step of National Universal Pharmacare today.”
Canada
Feb 29
Singh says Canadian Dental Care Plan will help residents ‘living with pain’
Speaking after the federal government announced the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) in Ottawa on Monday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said that Canadians will benefit from the dental insurance plan as they have been making “sacrifices” due to rising living costs. “One of the things that gets cut back on is going to the dentist...
Canada
Dec 11, 2023
Canadian Dental Care Plan: Singh slams Conservatives for ‘cutting and gutting’ social programs
Speaking after the federal government announced the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) in Ottawa on Monday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said that Canadians will benefit from the dental insurance plan as they have been making “sacrifices” due to rising living costs. “One of the things that gets cut back on is going to the dentist...
Canada
Dec 11, 2023
RCMP, police ‘very engaged’ in keeping Sikh community safe following allegations of U.S. murder plot by Indian government
During Thursday’s question period in the House of Commons, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh asked what the federal government is doing to ensure the safety of Sikh Canadians against allegations of murder plots in the U.S. Canada’s Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said policing partners and the RCMP are “very engaged” with the Sikh community as...
Canada
Nov 30, 2023
Liberal fall economic statement ‘does not meet’ Canadians’ needs: Singh
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh addressed the Liberal’s fall economic statement on Tuesday. Though he said it was a “positive” that the federal government are finally implementing “micro” measures to mitigate inflation relating to housing and grocery costs, Singh said the implementations do “not meet the urgency of what Canadians are going through.”
Canada
Nov 21, 2023