NDP critic for Foreign Affairs MP Heather McPherson issued the following statement:

On this International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, New Democrats reaffirm our unwavering support for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace that would uphold the rights and dignity of all Palestinians.

The Palestinian people have endured decades of occupation, human rights violations and extremist violence. Over the past fourteen months, Netanyahu’s horrendous genocide of Gaza has killed tens of thousands of innocent people, including thousands of children and infants, erased over a thousand families from the civil registry, and made Gaza home to largest number of amputee children in modern history.

But through this horror we witness the generous spirit of the Palestinian people who continue to take care of each other, tend to their olive trees, and advocate for peace. As New Democrats we know that hope can be found in working for justice through the international court system and in the voices and actions of so many around the world, including those in Palestine and in Israel, who say “Not in our name”.

Canada cannot pick and choose whose human rights matter. Canada must support all ICC warrants and all ICJ opinions and support all victims, regardless of the perpetrator. We continue to call on the Canadian government to recognize the State of Palestine, impose sanctions on Israeli leaders responsible for the genocide in Gaza and annexation in the West Bank, and impose a full and immediate arms embargo on Israel. Delays by the Liberal government have devastated Canadians desperate to get their family members to safety.

Canadians are calling for an end to the genocide and an end to the occupation, and for a real peace process that will permit Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and with full respect for their human rights. We reiterate our call for a ceasefire and the release of all hostages.

Today and every day, New Democrats honour the resiliency and strength of the Palestinian people.

Canada’s NDP leader Jagmeet Singh issued the following statement:

“Middle class Canadians need and deserve some financial breathing room, and the Conservatives’ choice to vote against a middle-class tax break tells you all you need to know: Pierre Poilievre’s bootlicking for billionaires.

When Poilievre was in cabinet, the Conservatives slashed corporate tax for multi-billion-dollar corporations to 15 per cent from 22 per cent. That cost Canadians $60 billion. Now he’s whining about middle class families saving a little money over the holidays. The NDP is the party of the working people. We’re sick and tired of CEOs getting tax breaks while regular people pay up. It’s everyday people who need a break—not Pierre Poilievre’s rich backers.

Justin Trudeau is letting Canadians down with his pale imitation of the NDP’s permanent GST cut commitment, but there’s no way in hell New Democrats would vote against help for working and struggling Canadians, and it’s disturbing to hear Poilievre vow to vote against it.”

On Thursday, NDP critic for Innovation, Science and Industry Brian Masse (Windsor West) passed a motion to force Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri to testify at a parliamentary committee about his company’s price hikes.

Masse called him to committee in October after reports of Rogers customers being asked to pay more than the agreed upon price when they signed their service contract. The CEO failed to appear in committee. Masse has now passed a motion summoning the Rogers CEO. If he fails to show again, he could be brought before the House of Commons to be reprimanded.

“People are getting gouged left, right and centre by these greedy giant telcos like Rogers,” said Masse. “They’re signing a contract at one price and then Rogers jacks up the price with no accountability. It’s not fair and for too long the Liberals and Conservatives have let giant telcos off the hook. It’s insulting to Canadians that the CEO of Rogers wouldn’t show up and explain himself.”

“Canadians deserve answers and a break from greedy CEOs,” added Masse. “New Democrats are taking action, and summoning the CEO to hold him accountable.”

On Wednesday, NDP Food Price Inflation critic Alistair MacGregor tabled a bill in parliament to create a National Food Cooperative Strategy, which would give support to small and medium-sized grocers, ramp-up competition, and lower food prices.

“Everyday families are cutting back on the foods they buy and on the activities their kids love, just to get by,” said MacGregor. “At the same time, grocery chains have been jacking up costs so their CEOs can pad their pockets. For years, the Liberals have watched this happen, letting Canadians down with their inaction. This needs to change, and we need more options for where people go to get groceries.”

MacGregor’s bill follows the recommendations of the Competition Bureau to create a National Food Cooperative Strategy to establish more food cooperatives in Canada. This would provide for more affordable grocery options and small and medium-sized grocery stores, lowering costs, and increasing the incentive for big-chain CEOs to stop gouging people.

“People need the cost of their essentials to come down,” said MacGregor. “Justin Trudeau and the Liberals have made lots of promises – but haven’t delivered. Then there’s Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives, who’ve been on the side of grocery giants since day one. They’ll never talk about grocery greed because their biggest donors are grocery executives – and that’s who they’re working for.

"New Democrats believe that things can change, grocery prices can come down, and you can get ahead. It’s why we’re focused on increasing competition, supporting small and medium-sized grocery stores, and lowering your costs. An NDP government would put you first, not big CEOs and their big corporate profits.”

NDP critic for Housing Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont-LaPetite-Patrie) and NDP deputy critic for Housing Blake Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach) issued the following statement:

“Housing is a human right. But for decades, Liberals and Conservatives have failed to ensure every Canadian and Quebecker has a suitable, safe and affordable place to call home.

More homeless encampments appeared across the country including in Halifax, Montreal, Gatineau, Toronto and Edmonton. People are being renovicted from their homes by corporate landlords, forced to sleep in their cars, on park benches and on the streets. Families are facing rent increases, falling further behind while corporate landlords make millions in profits. The Liberals have let people down, and Conservatives will make matters worse when they cut funding to build more homes.

For years, the housing market has fallen into the hands of wealthy investors who only care about making profits on the backs of Canadian workers.

Justin Trudeau and Pierre Poilievre have let these big greedy corporations buy up homes that were affordable and accessible to Canadians and Quebeckers to turn them into unaffordable luxury cash cows. The NDP has committed to ban this practice so that homes remain within families’ reach.

The NDP believes in more homes, not fewer. Lower rents, not higher. This weekend, FRAPRU—an organization fighting for accessible housing for people in Quebec—will be mobilizing actions across the province to demand that all homes built on federal lands be exclusively homes people can afford. The NDP has been calling for this for years.

That's not all. Due to Conservative and Liberal underfunding, 300,000 Indigenous people are forced to live in overcrowded and often mouldy homes. This must change.

New Democrats will continue to work towards a co-developed for-Indigenous, by-Indigenous housing strategy to fix the decades of Liberal and Conservative underfunding in infrastructure for First Nations, Métis and Inuit.

New Democrats will continue to fight for homes people can afford.