One year ago, residents across Newfoundland and Labrador went to the polls to choose their next government. As Premier Wakeham delivers his address on what the PCs have accomplished in their first year, NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) is highlighting what an NDP government would have delivered, and the changes people could have seen in their first year.
“New Democrats knew it was our responsibility during the election to be transparent with the public about our promises, how we would pay for them, and when people could expect to see them delivered,” said Dinn. “We also laid out how we would pay down the debt over our term in government. It was our way of showing people that we are serious about bringing change to this province, not just through our words, but through our work. Because that’s what people in this province deserve.”
Here is what an NDP government would have delivered in its first year:
- Lower home heating costs: Cut the provincial HST on all home energy bills, including electricity, propane, oil, and wood, saving families 10 cents on every dollar.
- Investigate power rates: Launch an independent investigation into skyrocketing electricity rates.
- Increase support for seniors: Immediately increase the Seniors’ Benefit by 25 per cent, with annual increases tied to inflation to help seniors on fixed incomes keep up with the cost of living.
- Lower the cost of raising a family: Cut the provincial HST on essential children’s items, including clothing, footwear, and car seats, saving families 10 cents on every dollar.
- Protect renters: Introduce a Tenants’ Bill of Rights to limit rent increases, end no-cause evictions, ban application and holding fees, and close loopholes like renovictions.
- Focus on Recruitment and Retention of Healthcare Workers: Begin working with unions and healthcare workers on our NL Cares Plan, ensuring their concerns are heard and begin strengthening working conditions to help with retention of workers in our system.
- Build affordable housing: Launch NL Homes, with a commitment to build 1,000 public, affordable housing units across the province every year.
- Raise the minimum wage: Increase the minimum wage to $17.50 an hour in the first year, on the way to $22 an hour by 2029. To help small businesses adjust, cut their corporate income tax rate in half.
- Strengthen MUN and CNA: Increase funding for both post-secondary institutions by:
- Restoring MUN’s Tuition Offset Grant, valued at $49 million in the first year, to protect affordable tuition and prevent service cuts.
- Providing CNA with an additional $10 million annually to expand programs and give students more opportunities in emerging sectors like mining and green technology.
- Review the Churchill Falls deal: Conduct a truly independent review of the deal and work with the Innu Nation on a positive way forward.
- Increase Transparency: Immediately adopt our slate of transparency measures, including making MHA conflict of interests public, extending the cooling off period for board appointments, and removing Big Money from politics.