A suggestion from the federal NDP leader to voters to consider again electing a minority government.
The NDP has trailed badly in the latest opinion polls, while support for the Liberals has soared to the potential of them holding a majority government.
Jagmeet Singh says he is focused on electing as many NDP members as possible but says Parliament works better when power is not controlled by a single party.
“More and more Canadians are telling me when I go to the doors when I meet, people are saying, ‘you know what? I think Ottawa works best when one party doesn’t have all the power,'” says Singh.
As part of campaign promises announced on Wednesday, Singh says he would expand on the national pharmacare program that his party secured in an agreement with the Liberals government under Justin Trudeau.
“The foundational legislation that we passed was about ultimately having universal and public pharmacare for all, that all medication needs should be covered. And so that’s what I’m announcing today, that our commitment is New Democrats will fight to bring in the next step, which is to cover all essential medication.”
Liberal leader Mark Carney campaigned in Edmonton on a promise to make Canada a superpower in energy.
He says it includes tax incentives for all forms, including clean energy and oil and gas.
“Making oil and gas the lowest emission and therefore the most competitive in the world,” says Carney.
“They will unlock more solar, more wind, more nuclear, both large scale and small modular, more geothermal, more hydrogen, more biofuels, more projects that will create good careers for tens of thousands of Canadians across this country.”
Carney is also promising to accelerate the extraction of critical minerals that play a part in those energy projects.
“A new Liberal government will create the First and Last Mile Fund that will connect critical mineral extraction projects to our supply chains to get them to market. In other words, from rock to road and rail. Getting these projects built faster.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre made a stop in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario to discuss his plans to get tough on crime.
He is proposing a three-strike rule on repeat offenders of serious crime.
“Three strikes you’re out means that anyone convicted of three serious offences will be ineligible thereafter for bail, probation, parole or house arrest,” says Poilievre.
“And they will serve a minimum of 10 years behind bars, a maximum of life imprisonment, and they will have to earn their release.”
Poilievre says such offenders will also be designated as dangerous offenders and will have to prove they are no longer a danger to society to obtain their release from jail.
“Under my watch, the only way for repeat offenders to obtain their freedom will be through spotless behaviour and clean drug tests during a lengthy minimum prison sentence with earned release dependent on making real progress in improving their lives, such as learning a trade or upgrading their education.”
The federal election takes place on April 28th.
