Canadian politicians need to work together at this time

MP unity is required now

Photo: Parliament of Canada

South Okanagan-West Kootenay MP Richard Cannings

While many Canadians continue to struggle to pay for groceries and find a place to live, the federal parliament was paralyzed for months with filibusters and scandals. Then, just as the new year began, work in Ottawa came to an official grinding halt as (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau prorogued parliament until late March.

Many of my constituents have written to me about that, some urging me to trigger an election at the earliest opportunity and just as many suggesting we need a united front in Canada right now to stand up to the “Trumpian circus” going on south of the Canada-U.S. border.

There are also a lot of questions in those emails as well. What does prorogation mean and how does it work? Who benefits from it? How and when can a confidence vote be held in the House of Commons that could trigger a federal election? How can we work around those issues and make sure Canada can thrive in very challenging times?

So first, both confidence votes and prorogation are powers that can decide, at any time, that Parliament is done and that it’s time to start over. Both powers lie partially or exclusively with the prime minister.

Prorogation is invoked at the will (some would say the whim) of the prime minister. When parliament is prorogued, everything is put on hold—all debate within the House of Commons and Senate comes to a halt, legislation dies on the order paper and committee work stops.

At the end of the prorogation period, parliament usually returns with a new Speech from the Throne and everything begins again with the same MPs who were serving when prorogation was invoked.

While there may be times when prorogation is beneficial to the overall functioning of government, it is often used by a governing party to put the lid on a scandal, change the channel, avoid an impending confidence vote or all three of the above. Trudeau invoked prorogation in 2020 to get away from the WE scandal. (Former prime minister) Stephen Harper and his Conservatives used it to avoid a confidence vote he knew he’d lose and then used it again to escape the Afghan detainees scandal.

Confidence votes are another place where the prime minister holds much of the power. The government can declare any vote to be a confidence vote and has tried in the past to use that power to blame the opposition for triggering an election nobody wanted, except the government.

A couple of years ago, my former NDP colleague, Daniel Blaikie, introduced a private members motion to clear up that mess. It would have changed the rules of the House of Commons so if the prime minister wants to prorogue parliament, he or she would have to first face a vote of confidence. The motion also clarified which votes could be considered confidence motions.

I thought it was an excellent idea that would improve the workings of parliament and naively thought it would pass through the House of Commons. But, while the NDP and Bloc Quebecois voted in favour, both the Conservatives and the Liberals voted it down. Why? Because they know how beneficial the present power of prorogation is to a governing party.

So, when you hear Conservatives loudly decrying the abuse of power by the Liberal government today, remember have been, just as guilty of those abuses.

So, what can we do to deal with the present crisis facing us with (U.S. President Donald) Trump’s threat of crushing tariffs that could seriously impact all parts of the Canadian economy? The federal government is proposing a package of supports—perhaps similar to those used during COVID—to keep businesses going and people working while the Trump “storm” rages. We don’t really know the details of these plans because, well, there are no parliamentary debates happening in Ottawa, because the Liberals have chosen to deal with their internal drama (picking a new leader) rather than put Canadians first.

(NDP Leader) Jagmeet Singh said clearly the NDP will support any plans to protect the economic well-being of Canadians, if that well-being is threatened by Trump’s actions. We are open to working together to shape initiatives and quickly pass relief measures for workers if the U.S. president moves ahead with devastating tariffs on Canadian goods.

The Conservatives have made a similar offer. The government should sit down with all the parties and plan a path forward. In these times, we need all parties to work together to keep Canada strong and prosperous.

Richard Cannings is the NDP MP for South Okanagan-West Kootenay

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

NDP support for Liberal government resulted in improvements to social programs

Looking back at NDP 'wins'

Photo: Parliament of Canada

South Okanagan-West Kootenay MP Richard Cannings

As 2024 draws to a close, I want to reflect on the past year and celebrate the significant achievements made in Ottawa this year in improving the lives of Canadians.

As many Canadians struggle with finding homes and affording to buy groceries, my NDP colleagues and I have been focussed on helping those who truly need that help the most.

In 2024 we continued to expand access to dental care and as a result over a million Canadians were able to go to the dentist, many for the first time in years. Through preliminary pharmacare legislation, Canadians now have access to free diabetes medications and devices, literally saving the lives of hundreds of young Canadians who die needlessly every year in our country. We also made free birth control a reality, a vital step in ensuring accessible reproductive health care for everyone.

Our fight for affordability brought temporary GST relief, and we continue to push for changes that would permanently remove the GST from essentials such as home heating and children’s clothing. After years of work we finally have anti-scab legislation to protect workers in federal sectors across the country, something that workers in B.C. have had for decades. We also delivered significant tax breaks for volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers who give so much to their communities.

We’ve secured a national childcare program that prioritizes public and non-profit providers. This ensures families have access to quality care at prices they can afford. Meanwhile, our advocacy for a national school food program means hungry kids across the country will get the nutrition they need to learn and thrive.

In health care, we’ve made progress holding the government to its promised 5% increase to Canada Health Transfer to provinces. We also secured an $8.3 billion investment in Indigenous housing, addressing critical gaps in services and infrastructure. Our commitment to renters saw us launch a rental protection fund to keep affordable housing in the hands of Canadians, not corporate landlords. During this cost-of-living crisis, we delivered a $500 housing benefit to help families stay afloat.

Our work didn’t stop there. We held oil and gas billionaires accountable, forcing them to face scrutiny for their environmental impact and pushing them to pay their fair share in taxes. Big Telecom CEOs were also brought to the table to answer for Canada’s exorbitant internet and cell phone costs. We’ve championed accountability across sectors to ensure that Canadians’ needs come first.

Those achievements are proof of what a government can accomplish when it focuses on the difficulties faced by everyday people.

While we fought to secure dental care, free birth control, school lunch programs and diabetes medication, (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau resisted every step. The Conservatives voted against them all. Canadians deserve a government that works for them, not for billionaires and CEOs. That’s why the NDP will bring forward a motion of non-confidence when Parliament returns.

We cannot let anyone undo the progress we helped make happen. We can’t go back to the years of silencing scientists and gutting the services we rely upon. Imagine a Canada where a good job gets you a home, a fridge full of groceries,and the chance to save for your future. A Canada where health care is there for you, free and accessible, when you need it.

So this holiday season, as we gather with loved ones and look ahead to the New Year, remember what we achieved together and recommit to building a fairer, greener, more prosperous country, a Canada that works for everyone.

From my family to yours, happy holidays and a hopeful, prosperous New Year.

Richard Cannings, is the NDP MP for South Okanagan – West Kootenay.

(Editor’s note: The NDP is an opposition party, not the government. The political achievements listed resulted from the NDP’s agreement to support the Liberal government.)

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Helping Canadians through tough times

Tax cut, rebate not enough

Photo: Parliament of Canada

South Okanagan-West Kootenay MP Richard Cannings

As the snow begins to fall, we are reminded that the holidays are just around the corner.

But, as we reach for the thermostat on these colder days, we face the reality that so many Canadians are finding it harder than ever to make ends meet. The rising cost of living has stretched family budgets to their breaking points, leaving people struggling to afford basics like food, housing, and utilities—let alone gifts and celebrations.

The NDP has been pushing for the removal of GST on daily essentials in an aim to address affordability in a substantial and permanent way. While the Liberal government has partially responded with a winter GST holiday on some items, the measure falls terribly short and ignores our calls for removal of GST on bills like home heating, internet and cell phones, and essentials like diapers.

Moreover, the exemptions will only provide temporary relief. It’s clear much more needs to be done to address the systemic issues that are leaving Canadians behind.

The government’s secondary proposal to offer relief this holiday season is the Working Canadians Rebate, offering a $250 cheques to individuals who earned up to $150,000 in 2023.

For single individuals with no children, the maximum payment will be around $234, while families with children could receive up to $467.

If passed, the rebate plan will send a one-time cheque to eligible individuals and families before the holidays. The plan could be a quick way to put money into the pockets of those who need it most and help Canadians with soaring grocery bills and other essentials. But this too is terribly flawed.

While this initiative aims to provide immediate relief, it notably excludes seniors and people with disabilities who aren't part of the workforce—a significant oversight that the NDP cannot support.

The NDP has emphasized that any affordability measures must include all vulnerable Canadians, not just those currently employed. We need to make sure that all Canadians who are struggling get the help they need. We have made it clear to the government we will not support the proposed bill unless it is amended to extend the $250 rebate to seniors and individuals with disabilities who are not working.

Moreover, what is needed is the permanent elimination of the GST on daily essentials to provide ongoing support to struggling families, not just a brief tax holiday.

We’ve been vocal about the inadequacy of one-time payments as a long-term solution. The NDP believes the government needs to take a more comprehensive approach to tackling the affordability crisis.

While we may support immediate relief measures like this rebate if they are expanded, they’re band-aid solutions at best. The NDP will continue to push for several additional measures to support Canadians during these tough times.

We’re calling for meaningful investments in affordable housing, increased social assistance rates and further action to address corporate greed in sectors like grocery and oil.

As well, a permanent removal of GST on essentials would provide ongoing relief to low- and moderate-income Canadians, ensuring they’re better equipped to weather economic challenges.

Canadians are working harder than ever but too many are still cutting back their grocery lists and cancelling activities their kids love because of rising costs. Meanwhile, billionaires and big corporations continue to enjoy tax breaks and record profits. That’s why the NDP has consistently called for measures like a windfall profits tax on large corporations, ensuring wealth is redistributed to those who need it most.

The holiday season should be a time of joy, not stress and worry. Yet, for far too many Canadians, it will be a season of tough choices and financial anxiety. While the government’s GST holiday and rebate plan offer some hope, it’s clear we need to think bigger. Canadians deserve a government willing to address the root causes of the affordability crisis and build a society where everyone can thrive, not just scrape by.

As an MP, I will continue to advocate for meaningful solutions that put people first. It’s time for real leadership and bold action to ensure that no one is left behind.

This holiday season let’s not just talk about the spirit of giving, let’s act on it.

Richard Cannings is the NDP MP for South Okanagan-West Kootenay.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Protecting choice for Canadian women

NDP pro-choice support

Photo: Parliament of Canada

South Okanagan-West Kootenay MP Richard Cannings

In Canada, women’s reproductive rights, particularly the right to choose an abortion, have long been considered a settled issue.

However, much like the situation to our south, those rights are now under threat and require renewed attention as anti-choice efforts attempt to erode both the right to, and access to, abortion services in Canada.

At the federal level, there is an undeniable “creep” of anti-choice influence in Canadian politics, encouraged by the Conservative Party and tolerated by the Liberal Party. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has permitted an increasing number of anti-choice bills and petitions from his circle of MPs, and his party’s attacks on reproductive rights are specific and well-documented.

This year, a Conservative MP filed a petition to restrict abortion access, falsely alleging 98% of all abortions are for “social or personal convenience.”

In 2023, Conservative MP Michael Cooper used taxpayer funds to receive anti-choice training from Canadian Physicians for Life, a group that praised the reversal of Roe v. Wade in the U.S. and condemned Canada’s lack of abortion restrictions, calling it a “lawless state of fetal killing.”

Poilievre’s voting record further highlights his inconsistent stance on abortion rights. Over the years, and as recently as last year, he cast five votes in support of anti-choice legislation.

Those efforts underscore the NDP’s concerns that Poilievre cannot be trusted to protect reproductive rights. The anti-choice movement appears to be calling the shots within the Conservative Party, and with the majority of Poilievre’s caucus openly anti-choice, it is clear they cannot be trusted with policy and funding decisions affecting a woman’s right to choose.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has failed to enforce the Canada Health Act, which guarantees equal access to publicly funded abortion care across all provinces and territories. People in rural areas frequently must drive hours, or wait weeks, to receive abortion services, an unacceptable delay in healthcare access.

Alberta’s Premier Danielle Smith has pushed to transfer control of hospitals to a private, Catholic organization that would deny abortion care. In New Brunswick, the province’s refusal to cover the cost of surgical abortions outside of hospitals—a clear violation of the Canada Health Act—led to the closure of New Brunswick’s only freestanding abortion clinic.

A woman’s right to choose means little if they cannot exercise it freely. Not only is abortion access at risk, the government has failed to expand access for those in need.

For New Democrats, abortion is healthcare. I am proud, with a minority government, (the NDP) negotiated the passage of Canada’s pharmacare bill, which includes free access to contraceptives.

This session, we announced we will dedicate an upcoming opposition day to debate and vote on a motion to curb anti-choice bills, petitions and threats and to call for stronger federal enforcement of the Canada Health Act to ensure publicly funded abortion services are available across all provinces and territories.

We will continue to challenge the anti-choice movement, demand federal accountability and push for improved access to abortion care. If adopted, our motion would direct the government to uphold and expand access to reproductive healthcare—a pressing issue, especially in rural and remote regions where services are scarce.

In a political landscape where Conservative policies threaten reproductive rights, the NDP stands as a committed defender of bodily autonomy.

To truly be pro-choice, we must agree abortion access must be both protected and expanded, so every person has the freedom to exercise their right to choose.

Richard Cannings is the NDP MP for South Okanagan-West Kootenay.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.