Jagmeet Singh was running a few minutes late.

North Island-Powell River NDP MP Rachel Blaney wasnsa国际传媒檛 terribly surprised.

sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 probably stopping to talk to everyone out there,sa国际传媒� she told representatives from Campbell Riversa国际传媒檚 social support network gathered to share their challenges with the federal NDP leader.

In town to discuss affordability, both in terms of housing and food security, Singh joined Black Press Media staff for a stroll around the block and a one-on-one interview.

The needs of the various non-profits he spoke are very real, he said.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e hearing more more stories from people that are having a hard time making ends meet. Even families that have jobs have a home, theysa国际传媒檙e feeling the squeeze. Knowing that, I can only imagine how much harder it is for someone who doesnsa国际传媒檛 really have housing or doesnsa国际传媒檛 really have enough income to make their bills or just get by.sa国际传媒�

RELATED:

sa国际传媒淲e have to focus on the problems, but then look to solutions and thatsa国际传媒檚 what folks in the room were really quick to do. They had great ideas about what we could do to fix this and that to me was a hopeful message coming out of the meeting.sa国际传媒�

However, translating local on-the-ground needs to federal policy can be tricky. Singh says that one way is to treat the cause of a problem instead of the symptoms.

sa国际传媒淚n housing itsa国际传媒檚 getting at the fact that housing is being used like like a casino or a stock market to make money,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淵ou gamble on buying property here and you hope you can make a lot of money off of it.sa国际传媒�

Singh would like to see tax laws used to make it less attractive to use housing as a money-maker. Fixing the affordability crisis has been focused on either reducing the cost of living or lessening the load on regular people. However, Singh said that wages were not keeping up with inflation even before the current crisis, and there are ways people can advocate for higher income.

sa国际传媒淲e know one of the best ways to a good-paying job that has enough to pay the bills is to make it easier to join a union. So wesa国际传媒檙e looking at ways of strengthen the ability to join the union,sa国际传媒� he said, adding that anti-scab legislation was also on the NDP docket.

Singh has been signalling a focus on the NDP being the party of the working class. During an NDP caucus meeting earlier this month he said the Liberal Party is sa国际传媒渨aging a warsa国际传媒� on workers. Singh said that was referring to the Bank of Canadasa国际传媒檚 approach to inflation.

sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檝e said that you cansa国际传媒檛 increase wages to keep up with inflation,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭he Bank of Canadasa国际传媒檚 approach right now to the inflation is raising interest rates sa国际传媒� It makes it harder for people that have got a mortgage and it makes it harder for people who have debt.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒�(The Liberals) are choosing a path to make more pain for workers while theysa国际传媒檙e ignoring that the wealthiest corporations have made huge profits in this inflationary period so theysa国际传媒檝e really chosen a side,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檙e choosing a side to protect the wealth of the billionaires and chosen a path thatsa国际传媒檚 gonna hurt workers. And to me that looks like class warfare.sa国际传媒�

Workers are hurting, and towns with industrial economic bases are facing insecurity both in the short and long terms. One of those insecurities is related to climate change, and Singhsa国际传媒檚 NDP has a plan for a just transition for industry workers.

sa国际传媒淭he Inflation Reduction act in the States and the decisions that the Biden Administration have made around clean energy investments have meant that there is a risk that we fall behind; workers in Canada fall behind if we donsa国际传媒檛 also have a clear strategy around investing in some of these jobs in the future,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淲hat can we do knowing that one of the worldsa国际传媒檚 largest economies sa国际传媒� has chosen to invest in clean energy or in jobs in a sector that reduces emissions?

sa国际传媒淐limate change means that different jobs or different sectors are being impacted. Those workers might might have volatility or unpredictability in their jobs sa国际传媒� It also means that theresa国际传媒檚 certain areas that we need to make investments because theresa国际传媒檚 going to be an opportunity for us to create really good jobs sa国际传媒� I could include things like on-land containment for fish farms or something like that sa国际传媒� Wesa国际传媒檙e looking at how we can transition any any process that we have into a more sustainable way to do it that still creates those good jobs.sa国际传媒�

Other industries are not immune.

Many regions are facing health care worker shortages. These shortages are exacerbated by the housing crisis. Even B.C. Premier David Eby and his family had in Port McNeill when they tried to relocate there for his wifesa国际传媒檚 medical career during the pandemic.

To Singh, the health care worker shortage is a national issue, and requires a national response sa国际传媒� beyond just improving housing.

sa国际传媒淭he federal government has to play a role in supporting with funds for opening up more seats in colleges and universities,sa国际传媒� he said, adding that they have to be sa国际传媒渕aking sure that we pay our healthcare workers adequately so they can be in communities. So this is very top of mind and we have we have real concrete things that we could do to fix it.sa国际传媒�

Health care is one of the main priorities for the NDP this year, with the health care, dental care and pharmacare coverage all major parts of keeping the confidence and supply agreement with the Liberals in place.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e proud of the work that wesa国际传媒檝e delivered so far or the work wesa国际传媒檝e done so far and Isa国际传媒檓 not satisfied though. I know theresa国际传媒檚 more that needs to be done this year. Wesa国际传媒檙e gonna keep on fighting,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e proud that we were the only party in Parliament thatsa国际传媒檚 actually pushing for these changes.sa国际传媒�

RELATED:

marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com
Like us on and follow us on