Travis Kingdon
With just ten days to go until the 2015 Canadian Federal election, the NDP and Conservatives released their platforms Friday.
With his numbers falling in Quebec, Mulcair announced his platform in the province early Friday morning.
In the face of declining poll numbers, Mulcair announced his official platform early Friday morning in Montreal.
The 72-page platform focuses on health care, sustainability for the middle class, environmental concerns and opportunities for young Canadians.
The platform promises $15/hour federal minimum wage, and a lower tax rate for small businesses.
During the announcement, Mulcair highlighted the importance of $15/day childcare, which his party will begin working towards immediately if elected.
In order to increase access to healthcare for all Canadians the NDP will hire more health professionals and aim to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
Mulcair’s NDP have pledged to develop a cap-and-trade system federally to lower emissions.
The NDP have also promised to phase out interest on student debt over the next seven years.
The platform released Friday projects a much smaller surplus in 2016/17 than was previously stated by the NDP.
Conservative party leader Stephen Harper announced his party’s platform mid-day Friday in Surrey, B.C., the last of the major parties to do so.
Stephen Harper’s platform is largely centered around protecting the Canadian economy.
Signs behind Harper during his announcement spoke volumes about the content of his party’s platform: “Economy #1 priority.”
The Conservative plan runs 159 pages, and focuses on protecting and maintaining the economy, including a commitment to maintaining a balanced budget.
The platform promises tax cuts for small businesses, including a reduction of employment insurance taxes. The party will also institute “tax lock” legislation, meaning a freeze tax rates for business and workers.
The Conservatives platform shows that their operating budget freeze will exist for one more year.
The party has projected surpluses for the next four years if elected.
Justin Trudeau’s Liberals made their platform available on their website in late September and released their fully costed plan on Monday Oct. 5.
The platform commits the party to running deficits for three years with a heavy investment in infrastructure. The investment will be focused on public transport, green infrastructure and job training and creation
The Liberals have promised $6 billion to green infrastructure over the next four years and $775 million to job creation.
The Liberal platform has been available online since late September.
This will put the party in a position to balance the federal budget by 2019, according to the platform.
Trudeau’s plan also includes a plan to help students by increasing the Canada Student Grant to up to $3,000 for eligible full-time students, and promising students won’t be required to start paying student debt until they are earning $25,000
The Liberals have also promised to review and alter parts of bill C-51, and repeal the Harper instituted bill C-24 in their platform.