Green Party Launches Its Platform 

The Green Party announced its platform via Twitter on Tuesday. The platform, which includes 100 pages of background information and commitments, centres around three core themes: transitioning to a green economy, completing Canada's social safety net, and building a just society. Here is a snapshot of key commitments from the Green Party platform:

"Green Future"

  • Reduce GHG emissions by 60% from 2005 levels by 2030, with clear and enforceable targets starting in 2023. 
  • Halt the extraction of fossil fuels by:
    • cancelling new pipeline projects (including Trans Mountain); 
    • cancelling all new oil exploration; and 
    • ending the leasing of federal lands for fossil fuel production.
  • Ban fracking. 
  • Require all public investment funds to divest from fossil fuels. 

"Life with Dignity"

  • Create national standards to establish rent and vacancy controls.
  • Limit foreign investment in real estate by raising the "empty home" tax for foreign and corporate residential property owners and closing tax haven loopholes.
  • Create a minimum of 300,000 "deeply affordable non-market, co-op and non-profit" housing units over a decade.
  • Implement a Guaranteed Livable Income for every person in Canada.
  • "Abolish" post-secondary tuition and cancel all federally-held student loans. 
  • Implement universal "pharmacare" and establish a "Canadian Drug Agency" by 2022.
  • Expand medicare to include free dental care for low-income Canadians. 
  • Implement a national child care program, increasing federal funding to 1% of GDP.
  • Amend the Canada Health Act to include long-term care.

"Just Society"

  • Respect Indigenous sovereignty over "self-defined and self-governed lands".
  • Enact an "Indigenous Lands and Treaties Tribunal Act" to create an independent body to determine specific claims, ensure that treaty negotiations are conducted and financed fairly, and ensure that treaty negotiations and claims resolutions do not result in the extinguishment of aboriginal and treaty rights.
  • Implement all 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
  • Invest and upgrade critical infrastructure to lift boil water advisories in every community.
  • Conduct a comprehensive review of the RCMP's role in policing to identify areas for "detasking" police and reducing police spending.
  • Terminate the Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States.

Blanchet Responds to Montreal School Board

Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet was in Ottawa on Tuesday responding to the English Montreal School Board's request the federal government refer the constitutionality of Quebec's Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec, to the Supreme Court of Canada. In a media release, Blanchet stated that Quebec should have autonomy over its own language policy to counter the decline of French.

Trudeau Highlights Key Quebec Issues in Montreal

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau was in Montreal on Tuesday highlighting his party's commitments on climate change and affordable housing -- two central issues in Quebec. On the topic of climate change, Trudeau discussed his commitment to ensure that 100% of vehicles sold in Canada are zero-emission by 2035. As for the topic of affordable housing, the Liberal platform pledges to introduce a rent-to-own program, create a tax-free home savings account for young Canadians, and ban foreign investors from buying residential property in Canada for the next two years. The Liberal leader stated that climate change and affordable housing are complex issues requiring equally comprehensive responses.

Singh Highlights Trudeau's Climate Track Record

New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh was in Toronto on Tuesday highlighting his climate action plan. Singh pledged to double the Canada Community-Building Fund from $2.2 billion to $4.4 billion in order to build green transit across the country. The NDP leader also criticized the Liberal government's track record on climate change, stating it has consistently missed its emission reduction targets and has the worst emission reduction track record in the G7. The NDP's climate plan also includes commitments to:

  • Reduce emissions by at least 50% from 2005 levels by 2030;
  • Eliminate fossil fuel subsidies;
  • Retrofit all buildings in Canada by 2050;
  • Set a target of net carbon-free electricity by 2030, and move to 100% non-emitting electricity by 2040.

O'Toole Announces Plan to Allow Foreign Competition in the Telecommunications Market

Conservative leader Erin O'Toole was in Ottawa on Tuesday announcing his plan to tackle cell phone and internet prices. The Conservative leader vowed to increase competition in Canada's telecommunications market by allowing foreign companies -- including those from the U.S. and Europe -- to offer cell phone and internet services in Canada.  "We'll let in companies from countries that allow our companies to compete in their markets," O'Toole stated. O'Toole also highlighted his platform commitments to reject mergers that "substantially reduce competition," and to ensure local and regional providers have access to spectrum.

Liberals Nudge Ahead of Conservatives According to Nanos

The Nanos Nightly Ballot Tracker [PDF] has the Liberals nudging ahead of the Conservatives in surveys conducted over the previous three nights ending on September 5, 2021. According to the nightly tracker, if an election were held, the Liberals would win 34.1% of the vote, the Conservatives 32%, the NDP 20.9%, the Green Party 4.5% and the Bloc Québécois 4.0%. The polls found that nearly 10% of Canadians remain undecided. 

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