含羞草研究社

Skip to content

NDP leader touts expanded B.C. shipbuilding during Vancouver Island visit

Jagmeet Singh also speaks to affordability and local concerns during Campbell River visit
web1_240306-crm-jagmeet-visit-campbell-river-boatyard_2
North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh toured a Campbell River boatyard business on March 5, 2024. Photo by Marc Kitteringham/Campbell River Mirror

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh wants to build Canada含羞草研究社檚 domestic shipbuilding industry, which he says will help build the coastal economies and improve affordability for Vancouver Islanders.

Singh was in Campbell River on March 5 as part of a west-coast tour. The tour was part of a North Island-Powell River riding visit, during which he also stopped in Powell River and Comox before moving down island to Courtenay and beyond. Affordability was on the top of Singh含羞草研究社檚 mind as he toured the Ocean Pacific Marine Store and Boatyard in Campbell River, but so were ideas about how to build stronger local economies.

含羞草研究社淲e want to be leaders internationally,含羞草研究社 said Singh about the national shipbuilding strategy. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e got so much coastline in Canada, we should be (leaders). The strategy only works if we make the right investments in communities so they can get bigger, expand and grow their skill sets.

含羞草研究社淭his is a local business that we want to see continue to grow,含羞草研究社 he said, gesturing at the boatyard behind him. 含羞草研究社淲e want to see these businesses get the support they need, and we think the federal government should be doing that.含羞草研究社

While strengthening Canada含羞草研究社檚 shipbuilding industry is one idea to improve affordability, Singh said that he has been hearing from other people in the community about their concerns.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e hearing from women, from Indigenous communities, and from working people that there含羞草研究社檚 been some progress made, and we can含羞草研究社檛 see that lost,含羞草研究社 he said. One of those areas of progress was a bill that will enshrine the $10-a-day daycare agreements the federal government has with provinces into law. That bill received concurrence in the house on Feb. 29, and it is awaiting royal assent.

含羞草研究社淚 remember someone in my constituency got the pilot project in B.C.,含羞草研究社 Singh said. 含羞草研究社淪he said it changes her life, knowing it will be more affordable, and as soon as they heard about the pilot project, they decided they were going to try to have a kid 含羞草研究社 that含羞草研究社檚 how transformative it is.

含羞草研究社淲e thought it含羞草研究社檚 not enough to just have these agreements in place,含羞草研究社 he said. 含羞草研究社淲e will make the permanent 含羞草研究社 we want to expand it.含羞草研究社

Singh and the NDP含羞草研究社檚 plans include higher wages for child care workers, as well as more spots available across the country. The next federal election is just over one and a half years away. Singh and the NDP maintain their confidence and supply agreement with the Liberals, though pharmacare and dental care have both moved forward. Their priorities now centre around affordability.

含羞草研究社(Affordability) is the biggest question of our time. I含羞草研究社檇 say lots of people are feeling the squeeze, particularly around housing and groceries,含羞草研究社 he said. Singh talked about his bill that would lower grocery prices, saying that part of the bill would set the penalty for corporations that profit from price gouging to three times whatever profit they made.

含羞草研究社淪o if they made $5 billion the penalty should be $15 billion now,含羞草研究社 he said. 含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 deterrence. That含羞草研究社檚 gonna stop them from doing it. They see a threat of having to pay that level of fine. That含羞草研究社檚 a severe sanction that would stop them from ripping us off.含羞草研究社

That bill received second reading on Feb. 7.

To tackle housing prices, Singh said the NDP is focused on 含羞草研究社渞eal alternatives含羞草研究社 like non-profit housing, cooperative housing and building with federal investments to help lower the upfront costs of new builds.

含羞草研究社淲e talked to builders and they said 含羞草研究社榳ell, I have to stay market rates for the land, I含羞草研究社檓 gonna pay market rates for my workers, I含羞草研究社檓 gonna pay market rates for the materials, and so the house is gonna be market rate,含羞草研究社 he said. 含羞草研究社淲e need federal land, money, and power to build affordable homes.含羞草研究社

RELATED:



Marc Kitteringham

About the Author: Marc Kitteringham

I joined Black press in early 2020, writing about the environment, housing, local government and more.
Read more



(or

含羞草研究社

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }