CanadaJimmy

The NDP have agreed to support the Liberals in confidence votes until 2025.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tru...ther-1.6392756

The deal however requires the Liberals to support Pharmacare (universal prescription drugs coverage) and Dentalcare (universal dental care coverage), which to me seem like great things.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tru...ment-1.6393021

These will be significant improvements to Canada's social programs and bring us more in line with the kind of public coverage in Western European countries. Combined with the 5 paid sick days in BC as well as affordable childcare program in BC, we're seeing real improvement here compared to how brutal it used to be.

There is also a small gesture towards more affordable housing.
This is more disappointing as non-market housing can't solve our out of control housing prices, I would like to see more emphasis on housing supply. Right now the conservatives still have a better plan there.

Tumbling_Dice

I will believe it when I see it (pharamacare etc.) Trudeau is only interested in what he wants... I suspect the NDP will end up like the Liberal Democrats at the end of this.

It is beyond pathetic that the conservative party can't scrape together a front bench and leader of even moderate quality to confront such a narcissistic, talentless, intellectually vapid, hypocritical little waster like Trudeau.

Mordko

Given the Liberal-NDP coalition announced today, I am raising my expectations for inflation for the next few years. I think that 5% to 9% is realistic over the next few years.

I also expect the quality of dental care to degrade.

dbd33

Not for the poor. they got none now.

bats

why?

Mordko

Because this happens to all government run services. Demand grows, resources are limited, this leads to inflation, government tries to control costs so inflation shows in deteriorating quality, longer waiting lists, etc.

Partially discharged

Good summary of my thoughts on Trudeau. It all seems so desperate from both parties involved.

Paul_Shepherd

They were exactly my first thoughts Trudeau is so desperate to hang on to what power he has for now, and NDP know they never will, so it just comes as across as a "nothing to lose" move by Trudeau, and indeed by ol' Jagmeet.

dbd33

I don't see that as the problem with it. I think governments need a robust opposition to keep them honest. If the NDP is rolled into the government, there's no one to keep the Liberals in check. Countries need, at least, two credible political parties.

dbd33

Oooh, that NHS, ruin the country that will.

Is the government planning a Ministry of Tooth Management under which everyone's gob will be administered by civil servants who alternate stints as customs officers? I suppose they may be but I haven't seen that in the Guardian or heard it on the BBC.

BristolUK

I would imagine the opposite.
The Lib Dems collaboration enabled Austerity and the bedroom tax and they suffered for the association.

If more affordable medical and dental costs result that might go down rather well...unless certain people start blaming "the feckless" for other ills and moaning about their tax dollars.

I'm surprised the NDP didn't want PR as part of the deal. But perhaps they did.
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What does amuse me is people previously whingeing about an early election now complaining about there being a 3 year wait for the next one.

Tumbling_Dice

I have no problem with the idea of pharamacare etc. I just don't believe, on the evidence so far, that Trudeau has the capabilities to deliver it. He is more interested in making big announcements, or offering his "wisdom' on a given situation, but executing on it? I also suspect he has no real interest in it so there may be a watered down version appears or the planning will be "difficult" so it gets kicked into the long grass.

For the NDP, the reason they may end up like the LDs is that they will be tainted by any of Trudeau's shennanigans with no benefit to them. Imagine there is another blackface, for example... does Jagmeet have the stones to make good on his pledge to withdraw from the agreement? How do NDP voters, who intentionally voted for the NDP and not the Liberals, feel about them supporting the Liberals? I dunno, but I suspect it won't work out well for the NDP give that there is another so called progressive party waiting in the wings, namely the Greens.

BristolUK

That's where I see the big difference.

Austerity and the bedroom tax should have been anathema to the Lib Dems but they actually voted for it. It had major repercussions for them

The NDP and Libs are not polar opposites like the UK Conservatives and the Lib Dems. I very much doubt that there is any policy at all, or any aspect of the budget, that the Liberals would want to bring in that the NDP would vehemently be opposed to let alone bring themselves to support it.

And that's not part of the agreement anyway. They can walk away if they feel their interests are not being served.

They also have no positions in government like the Lib Dems did with Cameron in the UK. If a minister makes a bad job of something, it will be a Liberal minister.

Almost Canadian

I fail to see the upside for the NDP. If all goes well, the Liberals will get the credit and, if it doesn't they will be associated with the Liberals. That's not fair, but history shows that is what will happen.

I don't subscribe to left or right, religiously following one or the other. I want to see good policies. I don't care who proposes them. The next election may be a poisoned chalice for whoever wins, as cutbacks will be required and, if a new party has to impose them, they won't be thanked for it.

bats

Resources limited by government underfunding? what a thought.