Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
National

Liberals announce cost-of-living help

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 13 Sep, 2022 09:59 AM
  • Liberals announce cost-of-living help

SAINT ANDREWS, N.B. - Liberal cabinet ministers said Tuesday the government is listening to Canadians who are struggling under the weight of inflation and entirely dismissed criticism from the new Conservative leader that they are part of a "radical woke coalition."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau officially announced the first policies to directly respond to the cost-of-living crisis spurred by an inflation rate that has averaged almost six per cent between January and July.

Until now, the government has said it is helping through existing policies, such as child care agreements with the provinces and automatic annual increases to programs like the GST rebate and Canada Child Benefit, as well as 2021 budget promises to increase benefits for seniors and low-income workers.

Trudeau will now outline a plan to double the GST benefit, introduce a temporary dental care benefit for most families with children under 12, and provide a one-time $500 payment for low-income renters.

"We spent a lot of time listening to Canadians from coast to coast to coast this summer," Trudeau said Monday, in his opening speech to his caucus at a Liberal retreat in St. Andrews, N.B.

"We heard from parents who are worried that the high cost of groceries or eating into their savings. We heard from nurses and health-care workers, stretched, working harder than ever, feeling ground down and undervalued."

The Liberals were wary of introducing too much money into the economy to avoid driving up demand and making inflation worse. They were warned against it by several economists, including just last week by CIBC World Markets chief economist Avery Shenfeld.

He noted provinces have already begun wide-scale handouts to appease voters concerned by inflation, and warned the federal government shouldn't follow suit.

"Unless very narrowly targeted to only reach those in the most need of support to put food on the table, or even better, financed by offsetting spending cuts elsewhere, they add to the inflation pressure in the economy by increasing spending power," Shenfeld said.

Tuesday's federal announcements are targeted at lower and moderate-income Canadians.

The new inflation response plan was supposed to have been unveiled last week during a Liberal cabinet retreat in Vancouver but was delayed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Liberals have been criticized by opposition parties for months for not stepping up earlier.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said in an interview that many people are going into debt to keep food on the table, and then paying higher interest rates on that debt because the Bank of Canada is raising interest rates to try and tamp down inflation.

"If you recall, as early as May we were saying to the government … those are two pressures that just make it harder for people who are already feeling squeezed. It just makes it worse," he said.

While the price of gasoline began to ease in June, the cost of basic necessities including food is up as much as 10 per cent compared to a year ago, and housing costs have also soared since the pandemic.

The new policies are all drawn from demands made by the NDP — including two that the Liberals have committed to as part of the supply and confidence agreement reached by the two parties last March.

Under that deal, the NDP agreed to support the minority government on key votes in return for the Liberals enacting some NDP priorities. Dental care and the housing benefit are explicitly included.

The NDP has also been asking the Liberals to double the GST rebate and expand the Canada Child Benefit, though those demands are not part of the deal.

"We think this is a starting point," Singh said of the announcement.

"It's something that we had fought for and we forced them to do. They would not have done this but for us, and they're not going to be able to get it passed but for us in the House. We're gonna need to have some legislation to make it happen. But we still think that (there are) other steps needed."

New Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is heavily critical of the supply and confidence deal, calling the Liberals and NDP a "radical woke coalition."

Liberal cabinet ministers at the retreat in New Brunswick rejected that notion.

"Frankly, I don't even know what it means to be woke," said Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, headed into the final day of caucus meetings Tuesday.

"I'm working to serve Canadians, and Canadians have asked us for three elections in a row to do more and to do it faster when it comes to fighting climate change."

Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne said he is not woke, "and trust me, no one in my family believes that either."

He said the Liberal team is "fully committed to work on three things: the economy, the economy, the economy."

"That's what matters to Canadians," he said.

MORE National ARTICLES

Canada donates up to $28 million for Pakistan

Canada donates up to $28 million for Pakistan
Emergency food, water, sanitation and health services are badly needed after monsoon rains over the last three months have left more than one-third of the country underwater. More than 33 million people are affected by the floods and with much of the country's agricultural land underwater, the Pakistani government is warning of an impending food shortage.

Canada donates up to $28 million for Pakistan

Warmer fall expected across much of Canada

Warmer fall expected across much of Canada
The network says in its fall forecast that much of Canada can expect warmer-than-normal conditions throughout September before temperatures start to drop in October. It says the amount of precipitation will vary across the country, though most parts will see fewer storms than usual.

Warmer fall expected across much of Canada

Monday is federal holiday for Queen's funeral

Monday is federal holiday for Queen's funeral
Speaking at a caucus retreat in New Brunswick today, Trudeau says "declaring an opportunity for Canadians to mourn on Monday is going to be important."  He says the government will be working with provinces and territories to ensure they're "aligned."

Monday is federal holiday for Queen's funeral

Smoke from B.C. wildfires spreads to Alberta

Smoke from B.C. wildfires spreads to Alberta
Environment Canada is maintaining advisories for a portion of northeast B.C. and the southern half of the province and has extended air quality statements across southern Alberta. It warns that fine particulates contained in the smoke are likely to increase through the day.

Smoke from B.C. wildfires spreads to Alberta

37 B.C. mayoral candidates win unopposed

37 B.C. mayoral candidates win unopposed
Nomination information collated by non-profit group CivicInfo BC shows 37 B.C. mayoral candidates automatically won after the nomination period closed on Sept. 9 at 4 p.m Among them were Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley and Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West, both of whom get second terms.

37 B.C. mayoral candidates win unopposed

22 year old newcomer to Canada stabbed in Chinatown over the weekend

22 year old newcomer to Canada stabbed in Chinatown over the weekend
The victim, a 22-year-old newcomer to Canada who was working for a meal-delivery service, was locking his bike to a street pole in Chinatown around 6 p.m. last night when he was approached from behind and attacked by someone he didn’t know.  

22 year old newcomer to Canada stabbed in Chinatown over the weekend

PrevNext