Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh made the following statement:

“New Democrats stand in solidarity with workers across Canada on this National Day of Mourning. We commemorate workers who have died or been injured as a result of their job.

This year’s theme “Safe work now!” is a call to action for workers, all levels of government, and employers to take immediate and concrete steps to keep people safe at work.

In Canada, workplace fatalities and injuries increased in the last year. It is a sad reminder that more needs to be done to prevent accidents, illnesses, injuries, and death while on the job. While both Liberals and Conservatives have allowed corporations to cut corners on health and safety to maximize corporate profits, New Democrats are fighting side by side with workers for better and safer workplaces in Canada.

New Democrats have forced the Liberal government to bring forward measures to protect working Canadians, including anti-scab legislation, a mandatory minimum of ten paid sick days and stronger protections for new parents who have lost their jobs when on maternity leave.

We are calling on the federal government to properly enforce the Westray Law and hold negligent employers accountable. Canadian workers deserve to work in safe environments. It is wrong to allow employers’ bottom lines to dictate Canada’s health and safety agenda.

On this day, New Democrats renew their commitment to fight for the safety and well-being of working Canadians and we will continue to make this government work for them.”

On Friday, Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and NDP critic for Women and Gender Equality Leah Gazan called out Pierre Poilievre’s plan to take away free birth control from 9 million Canadians.

In February, Jagmeet Singh and the NDP forced the federal government to deliver free birth control for Canadians as part of a new universal pharmacare program. Last week, during the first day of debate on the bill implementing this important step, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives introduced an amendment to block it.

“I’ve heard so many stories of women for whom birth control is out-of-reach. They are often forced to make difficult choices—paying for contraceptives or putting food on the table. It shouldn’t have to be this way,” said Singh. “That’s why New Democrats fought to force the government to lower costs for Canadians by making birth control free for everyone who needs it. But, at the first chance he had in Parliament, Pierre Poilievre tried to take it away. We won’t let him.”

Free birth control would not only save hundreds of dollars a year for millions of Canadians, but it also gives more freedom and control to women to make their own decisions about their reproductive health. This increased access to contraceptives will also improve people’s health which will help ease the strain on our health-care system. But Pierre Poilievre is clear: he doesn’t want women to have access to free birth control.

“Last year, the Conservatives tried to push through backdoor legislation attacking a women’s right to choose. This year, they’re trying to block free access to birth control. Women have fought too hard for their rights, we can’t let Conservatives take us backwards,’’ said Gazan. “It’s shameful that Pierre Poilievre wants to take this away, especially when he’s had health coverage paid by the public for most of his adult life. He doesn’t have a problem throwing away $60 billion in corporate handouts but wants people to pay more for birth control. That’s the price of Pierre. New Democrats are fighting back to uphold women’s right to choose, and to lower costs for Canadians.”

On Thursday, Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was in Justin Trudeau's riding of Papineau in Montreal where he met with tenants who are feeling the impact of the housing crisis. Following the meeting, Singh called out the Prime Minister's record on housing, going so far as to say that Montrealers could no longer trust him.

“Everyone should have access to safe affordable housing, but unfortunately, it's harder than ever. In 2017, Justin Trudeau promised to solve the housing crisis with his national housing strategy, which he called “historic”. Seven years later, it's a failure across the board,” said Singh. “It's harder than ever to find affordable housing throughout Montreal, including here in Papineau. Justin Trudeau has abandoned the people of his own city.”

After 9 years of Justin Trudeau, rent has tripled in Montreal and evictions have increased by 143 per cent in the last year. Montreal has lost 90,000 affordable homes in 5 years. Trudeau’s so-called strategy financed the construction of overpriced housing—leaving many Montrealers scrambling for a place they can afford.

“Justin Trudeau is trying to make people believe that his new housing plan will solve the problem. People don't believe him anymore, and that's why they want change,” said Singh. “In the next election, they will be able to choose either a Poilievre government that cuts funding for social and affordable housing or an NDP government that invests in building more affordable and social housing, quickly. People need a government that will stop putting the interests of wealthy investors ahead of renters.”

On Wednesday, Canada’s NPD Leader Jagmeet Singh, NDP MP Heather McPherson (Edmonton Strathcona) and NDP candidate for Edmonton Centre, Trisha Estabrooks, committed the to fight back against Conservatives’ attacks on the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).

Danielle Smith’s plan to pull out of the CPP will not only hurt Albertans’ pensions, but it would also lower pension benefits for all Canadians. To fight back and protect Canadians’ pensions, McPherson will introduce a bill in the House of Commons that will make it harder for Danielle Smith’s to gamble workers’ pension.

“Canadians need assurance that when they retire, they are going to have the support they need to live. No one should have to worry about living their retirement years in poverty—but if it was up to Danielle Smith and Pierre Poilievre, they will,” said McPherson. “Pierre Poilievre’s best friend—Danielle Smith—is putting at risk Albertans’ retirement security by recklessly pushing to withdraw Alberta out of the CPP. I will be introducing a bill that will protect Albertans and Canadians from this idea. New Democrats are clear: hands off workers’ pensions!”

Danielle Smith’s plan to withdraw from the CPP is not the only threat to Canadians’ pensions. After he was elected Leader of the Conservative Party, one of Pierre Poilievre's first ideas was to cut the Canada Pension Plan to save greedy corporations more money.

“Conservative cuts to the CPP will hurt seniors and workers and let rich CEOs and the companies they head take the money they were supposed to put into workers’ pensions and add it to their profits instead. That’s what Pierre Poilievre wants—less money for your retirement and more money for big bosses,” said Singh. “When he was in power, Poilievre also made it harder for Canadians to get a pension—delaying the retirement age to 67—while he collects a $3 million pension paid for by the public. Canadians’ pension is under attack by Conservatives, and New Democrats are fighting back.”

On Monday, Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, joined by NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo (Port Moody—Coquitlam), called out Pierre Poilievre’s plan to take away free contraceptives and free diabetes medication from millions of Canadians.

Singh and Zarrillo were joined by Linda, a 69 year-old retiree living in Port Moody who has been living with Type One Diabetes for 44 years, and pays approximately $3000 out-of-pocket each year for diabetes-related medication and devices. While New Democrats are delivering free diabetes medication to help Canadians like Linda, Pierre Poilievre is doing everything he can to take it away.

“I’ve heard stories like Linda’s all across Canada. No one should go though the stress and worry she’s living with. No one should have to pay $3000 to stay healthy,” said Singh. “New Democrats fought to force the Liberal government to make diabetes medication and devices free for everyone who needs them. But, at the first chance he had in Parliament, Pierre Poilievre has tried to stop it. They have been clear: Conservatives want to kill Pharmacare. He wants to protect the profits of big pharma but doesn’t want Linda to get free medication—that’s the price of Poilievre.”

In the 2024 federal budget, New Democrats delivered free birth control for 9 million Canadians and diabetes medication for 3.7 million Canadians. Pierre Poilievre has not only been telling Canadians he’ll take it away, but he’s actively doing it. During the first day of debate on the bill to deliver life-saving medication, the Conservatives moved an amendment calling to block it.

“Canadians are struggling to afford their medication. It’s shameful that Pierre Poilievre wants to take away free diabetes medications that would help so many people stay healthy,” said Zarrillo. “He doesn’t have a problem throwing away $60 billion in corporate handouts but wants people like Linda to pay more for her diabetes medication. New Democrats are fighting back to ensure every diabetic Canadians can access the medication and devices they need. With the NDP, your life will be more affordable.”