Health care and social services form the cornerstone of the New Democrats platform, ”Change for the Better.”
Leader Andrea Horwath promises delivering better health care by investing in hospitals; $19-billion over 10-years, opening more beds, cutting wait times, ending hallway medicine and fixing seniors care.
The NDP also pledges publicly funded dental care for the one-third who don’t have workplace coverage, and the expansion of free pharmacare for all ages, but only for 125 prescription drugs.
Horwath promises free child care for families making $40-thousand or less and an average of $12-a-day for everyone else.
Other promises include buying back majority stake of Hydro One and lowering everyone’s hydro bills by 30%, raising the corporate tax rate on profits to 13% from 11.5%, closing big business loopholes, increasing personal income tax on amounts over $220,000 by one-percent and on earnings over $300,000 by 2-percent along with a new 3-percent surcharge on luxury cars and SUVs that cost more than $90,000.