As the days count down toward the Oct. 21 federal election, Sudbury.com is providing readers an overview of the major promises of the parties vying for your vote.
The governing Liberals are using "Forward" as their theme this time around, hoping their 85-page platform will help convince Canadians to give them a second term.
The platform is prioritizes three themes: help for the middle class, protecting Canada's environment and gun control.
For the middle class, the Liberal promises include:
'Making Life More Affordable': While Canada’s economy is strong, the Liberals say in their platform that the rising cost of living is making it harder for everyone to share in that success. “For too many families, it’s still tough to make ends meet,” the party says. To help the middle class “and people working hard to join it,” the party promises that people won’t pay federal taxes on the first $15,000 they earn. This will save the average family nearly $600 a year, the party says, and 700,000 low income earners won't pay any tax at all. Other promises include lowering child care costs by 10 per cent, more help for laid off workers and more accessible training for apprentices.
'Ensuring A More Secure Retirement For Seniors': “After a lifetime of hard work, Canada’s seniors have earned a secure and dignified retirement,” the platform says. “They deserve a retirement filled with family and friends, not financial worries.” The Liberals are promising to increase Old Age Security benefits by 10 per cent when people turn 75, and to work to increase Canada Pension Plan benefits.
On the environment, Liberal promises include:
'Fighting And Preparing For Climate Change': “Canadians know that climate change is real, and in the last four years, science has made it even more clear that the future of the planet is at risk,” the platform says. Promises include achieving a “net-zero emissions” by 2050, mandating reduction targets while providing retraining for people and other supports as workers adjust to a “clean economy.”
The party is also promising to plant two billion trees in the next decade, and to use any profits from the Trans Mountain Expansion oil pipeline project to fund climate change strategies. Other promises include rebates for buying electric cars and plans to build 5,000 charging stations along the TransCanada highway, and other busy road networks.
The Liberal promise on gun control:
“Gun crime in Canada is on the rise, and today, our country has no clear classification for assault rifles — making it legal to buy several military-style weapons,” the platform says. “These guns are designed to inflict mass casualties and have no place in Canada.” While promising to not bring back the controversial long gun registry, the Liberals say they will ban assault rifles and make it easier for municipalities to ban or restrict handguns. The party will also tighten safe storage laws and “make sure the Canada Border Services Agency and Royal Canadian Mounted Police have the resources they need to detect and stop the flow of weapons at our borders.”
The full platform can be found here, with a larger type version that's easier to read available here.
