SASKATOON — The NDP says it estimates that Liberal Leader Mark Carney’s plan to balance the operating budget would result in nearly $43 billion in spending cuts within three years.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh argued Thursday this could mean cuts to health care, since health transfers to the provinces come from the federal government’s operating budget.
“(Carney has) said he would cut the operating budget. He’s also defined what that means, he’s said what the operating budget is. He’s said it means health care, it means pensions, it means supports for people living with disabilities,” Singh said.
Singh was speaking outside Saskatoon City Hospital, flanked by Saskatchewan NDP candidates and nurses.
Carney’s campaign website says that while operational spending would be reviewed, transfers to individuals and provinces -- including the Canada Health Transfer -- would be maintained.
Speaking at an event in Brampton, Ont., Carney replied directly to Singh’s accusation.
“Short answer, no. No cuts to health care. In fact, reinforcement of health care,” he said.
Carney added that if his Liberals are re-elected, he plans to follow through on a previously announced expansion of the dental care program, which could see up to five million more people become eligible.
When asked about Carney’s comments, Singh maintained Carney would not put adequate funding into health care.
“Banker-speak for maintaining spending is freezing,” Singh said. “Freezing is a cut when you talk about health care. If you freeze investment in health care with an aging population, with a growing population, with increased needs and with inflation -- if you freeze, that is a cut.”
Both Carney and Singh said they will release their fully costed platforms in the near future.
The NDP said its evaluation of the Liberal fiscal plan is based on the parliamentary budget officer’s fiscal projections, combined with the planned reversal of the capital gains tax increase announced in the 2024 budget.
Singh said that now is the time to expand investment in public services because U.S. tariffs are likely to trigger layoffs and drive up household expenses.
He also called for people opposed to the Conservatives to vote for NDP candidates, saying the Liberals have not won a seat in Saskatoon “in decades.”
The NDP held Saskatoon West as recently as 2019 before losing that seat to the Conservatives.
But polls continue to suggest the NDP is being pushed to the sidelines in a two-horse race between the Liberals and Conservatives.
“In terms of the of the polls, we have a very recent example where many polls said that in Ontario, New Democrats would lose party status, and they formed Official Opposition,” Singh said.
“So of course, I’ve got my doubts about the way that covers our support, that our support is not accurately being represented.”
Before Singh leaves Saskatoon to head back to Ottawa, he is scheduled to have a private meeting with Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations leadership.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 10, 2025.
David Baxter, The Canadian Press
