Health issues dominated the federal campaign trail Friday with the Liberals stressing the importance of vaccination against COVID-19, a Conservative pledge to enhance benefits for seriously ill workers and a prescription for universal pharmacare from the NDP.
During a stop in Mississauga, Ont., Justin Trudeau said a re-elected Liberal government would procure enough vaccines to ensure all Canadians have access to free COVID-19 booster shots and any needed second-generation vaccines.
Trudeau also promised a $1-billion fund to assist provinces and territories that usher in a requirement for proof-of-vaccine credentials for non-essential businesses, such as restaurants and gyms, as well as public spaces.
British Columbia, Manitoba and Quebec are moving ahead with so-called vaccine passports, and Trudeau said he hoped Doug Ford would follow, saying it was time for Ontariosa国际传媒檚 Progressive Conservative premier to listen to public health officials.
sa国际传媒淎 vaccine mandate for non-essential businesses is a good idea,sa国际传媒� Trudeau said during his appearance at a restaurant. sa国际传媒淚t keeps people safe. It encourages everyone to do the right thing. It keeps our businesses open and it keeps our economy rebuilding.sa国际传媒�
Visiting Thunder Bay, Ont., NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called on the federal government to issue a national vaccine credential.
sa国际传媒淲ouldnsa国际传媒檛 it be easier to just have one central document that we get from the federal government and we can use in any province we travel to?sa国际传媒� Singh said. sa国际传媒淚t would just make life easier.sa国际传媒�
Protesters who oppose masks, vaccines and lockdown measures to fight COVID-19 have dogged the Liberal leader on the campaign trail.
sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 a choice that they are expressing loudly and clearly,sa国际传媒� Trudeau said Friday.
sa国际传媒淏ut itsa国际传媒檚 not just a choice that theysa国际传媒檙e making for themselves. Itsa国际传媒檚 a choice theysa国际传媒檙e imposing on others. We only finish with this pandemic if everyone steps up, not just for themselves, but for each other.sa国际传媒�
However, Trudeau did not provide a direct answer when asked if he had special permission for more than the provincial limit of 25 people to crowd into the restaurant for his announcement.
In Corner Brook, N.L., Conservative Leader Erin Osa国际传媒橳oole said he would increase employment insurance benefits for ailing workers to 52 weeks from 26, a move that could help people fight life-threatening diseases like cancer.
sa国际传媒淐anadian workers should know we have their backs if they become seriously ill,sa国际传媒� Osa国际传媒橳oole said.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 sure that we have all known someone, a friend, a relative who has battled cancer. We all know how devastating it is. So, we can all imagine if, on top of all that, you also had to worry that your EI benefits were running out, and that you might not be able to put food on the table for your family.sa国际传媒�
Singh pledged Friday to begin working with provinces immediately to deliver a single-payer, public pharmacare program for all Canadians.
The New Democrats say millions cansa国际传媒檛 afford to take the medications they need and must skip doses, cut their pills in half, or even go without them.
sa国际传媒淲e know it doesnsa国际传媒檛 have to be this way,sa国际传媒� Singh said. sa国际传媒淲e know that we can actually work together to solve this problem.sa国际传媒�
The NDP says negotiating prices with pharmaceutical companies would help make prescription drugs free, saving an average family $550 a year.
Asked how he would get countrywide buy-in for the plan, Singh said it would save money not just for people, but also for the provinces.
sa国际传媒擩im Bronskill, The Canadian Press
