Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says her government is doing its best to deliver on a promise to introduce a national dental care plan after the NDP threatened to reverse its pledge to keep the Liberals in power if a plan isn’t in place before year-end.
“Providing dental care to children and families earning less than $90,000 a year, to children under 12, was a clear commitment we made in the budget,” Freeland said on Aug. 9 after a tour of an automotive parts manufacturer in Etobicoke, Ont.
“It’s a commitment we made in our agreement, in our confidence and supply agreement with the NDP. We’re working hard to deliver that.”
The Liberals and the NDP entered into the agreement in March to keep the minority Liberals in power until 2025. In exchange, the NDP was promised the establishment of national pharmacare and dental plans.
“I made it really clear to the prime minister directly that this has to happen,” Singh reportedly told the Star. “There’s just no option for them. This has to happen. The deal stands on this.”
The Parliamentary Budget Officer said in a June legislative note the cost of the program is likely closer to $9 billion.
Tories have been critical of the deal made between the Liberals and the NDP, accusing them of implementing a “spend-and-tax budget.”
Despite some speculation that the government would implement a stop-gap measure if it’s unable to roll out the program, Singh has said there would be “no room for any exception.”
Freeland hinted there are obstacles to delivering the program on time as she referred to the process to come to agreements with provinces on childcare.
“Delivering new services to Canadians is complicated and I think Canadians understand that,” she said.
The Liberal government has been under fire for its delivery of existing services this summer, with much of the criticism related to the issue of travel, whether it be delays in obtaining a passport or getting processed at an airport.
