Trudeau cabinet retreat to focus on cost of living ahead of Parliament’s return – National | 24CA News
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cupboard will kick off a three-day retreat on Monday to debate their priorities forward of Parliament’s return.
Trudeau’s cupboard will probably be in Hamilton, Ont., till Wednesday, and can give attention to the price of residing and the economic system, his workplace stated in a news launch final week.
Canadians have felt the pinch in latest months because the Bank of Canada raised its coverage rate of interest in its bid to deliver down inflation. Some economists expect Canada will expertise an financial slowdown in 2023, however the severity of it stays unsure.
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During the retreat, the prime minister’s workplace stated Trudeau and his cupboard will focus on methods to create good middle-class jobs, methods to spend money on expertise and coaching and methods to ship higher well being take care of Canadians.
Furthermore, they are going to focus on advance the federal government’s work in preventing local weather change and constructing a cleaner economic system, together with innovation, provide chain energy and Canadian-built clear applied sciences.
“This cabinet retreat will be an important opportunity to build on our continued efforts to make life more affordable for the middle class and people working hard to join it, as well as seize new opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses,” Trudeau stated within the launch.
“In 2023, we will keep working relentlessly to build a better future and a strong economy for all Canadians.”
The cupboard’s discussions, notably round well being care, will probably be watched carefully by the NDP — which is upholding the Liberal minority authorities by a deal struck final March.
Under that settlement, the NDP agreed to help the minority authorities on key votes within the House of Commons to keep away from triggering an election earlier than 2025. In alternate, the Liberals promised to make progress on NDP priorities, together with pharmacare.
Before the vacation break, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh threatened to tug out of the settlement if Ottawa doesn’t take motion to enhance well being care, which the NDP sees as a nationwide disaster.
Trudeau has been underneath stress to meet with Canada’s provincial and territorial premiers, who’re negotiating with Ottawa for elevated health-care funding. Trudeau hinted on Jan. 16 that “positive steps forward” on a health-care deal can be introduced “in the very near future,” however on Jan. 17, his well being minister threw chilly water on the notion such a deal was all however finalized.
Singh stated final Thursday he needs Trudeau to satisfy with the premiers.
“The health-care system is in pretty tough straits, but we know things can be better if we invested in it. We know we can turn this around. What we can do now is put pressure on Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal government to fix this problem, to show leadership,” he stated, including the NDP has many choices to take if his celebration seems like Liberals aren’t as much as the duty.
“We have the power to withdraw our support. We have the power to make things difficult for the government in Parliament. We have many options and all those options are on the table.”
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Cost-of-living insurance policies the Trudeau’s authorities handed final fall, together with dental-care subsidies for kids underneath 12 in low-income households, one-time rental dietary supplements for low-income renters, and a brief doubling of the GST tax rebate, had been NDP priorities. The celebration held a caucus retreat final week to debate its priorities for the upcoming sitting of the House of Commons.
NDP caucus chair Jenny Kwan stated these will embody holding Liberals to their phrase on pharmacare and supporting vitality staff who could also be affected by federal environmental insurance policies.
The Liberal cupboard retreat will probably set the tone of the federal government as they put together its finances for 2023.
Work on it has already begun, with the federal government rolling out public pre-budget consultations in December. Last week, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland met with the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Nurses Association and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare to debate well being care as a part of pre-budget consultations.
Sittings within the House of Commons are scheduled to renew on Jan. 30.
— with recordsdata from The Canadian Press
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