Forward. For Everyone. — What the Liberal Party had to say on key issues

October 26, 2021

On Monday, September 20, 2021, Canadians elected 160* Liberal Members of Parliament, enough seats to form another minority government.

As the new cabinet gets ready to be sworn into office on October 26, here’s a look at what the Liberal Party of Canada had to say in their election platform about issues of interest to the Canadian library and information management community:

• Platform Document: Forward. For Everyone

Accessibility

• Develop and implement an employment strategy for Canadians with disabilities. This strategy will be focused on supports for workers and employers and creating inclusive and welcoming workplaces. It will also include an investment in the Ready, Willing & Able inclusive hiring program to support individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). [source]
• Create a new stream of the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy Program (YESS) to support 5000 opportunities a year for young people. This would help young Canadians with disabilities gain the skills, experience, and abilities they need to make a successful transition into the labour market and build successful careers. [source]

Anti-Racism

• Strengthen and boost funding to both the AntiRacism Strategy and the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat. [source]
• Build on the progress made over the last 6 years and increase funding to multicultural community programs. These programs play an important role in supporting community organizations across the country as they fight racism. [source]
• Present a National Action Plan on Combating Hate by 2022 as part of a renewed Anti-Racism Strategy. It will include recommendations from the Antisemitism and Islamophobia summits and specific action on combatting hate crimes in Canada, including possible amendments to the Criminal Code, training and tools for public safety agencies, and investments to support digital literacy and prevent radicalization to violence. [source]

Artificial Intelligence

• Move forward with our plan to invest in the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy, supporting artificial intelligence innovations and research in Canada; investing in the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research to attract and retain top academic talent; providing dedicated computing capacity for researchers at the national artificial intelligence institutes; and advancing the development and adoption of AI standards. [source]

Broadband and Connectivity

• Require those that have purchased the rights to build broadband actually do so. With this use it or lose it approach, Canada’s large national carriers will be required to accelerate the roll-out of wireless and high-speed internet in rural and northern Canada by progressively meeting broadband access milestones between now and 2025. If these milestones are not met, we will mandate the resale of spectrum rights and reallocate that capacity to smaller, regional providers. [source]

CBC/Radio-Canada [source]

• Update CBC/Radio-Canada’s mandate to ensure that it is meeting the needs and expectation of today’s Canadian audiences, with a unique programming that distinguishes it from private broadcasters.
• Reaffirm the role of the public broadcaster in protecting and promoting the French language and Francophone cultures in Quebec and across the country.
• Increase production of national, regional, and local news.
• Strengthen Radio Canada International, our voice for peace, democracy, and universal human values on the world stage.
• Ensure that Indigenous voices and cultures are present on our screens and radios.
• Bring Canada’s TV and film productions to the world stage.
• Provide $400 million over 4 years to CBC/Radio-Canada so that itis less reliant on private advertising with a goal of eliminating advertising during news and other public affairs shows.

Copyright

• Protect Canadian artists, creators, and copyright holders by making changes to the Copyright Act, including amending the Act to allow resale rights for artists. [source]
• Amend the Copyright Act to ensure that its provisions cannot prevent the repair of digital devices and systems, even when nothing is being copied or distributed. [source]

Digital

• We will move forward on legislation that will implement the Digital Charter, strengthen privacy protections for consumers, and provide a clear set of rules that ensure fair competition in the online marketplace. [source]
• Establish a digital policy task force, comprised of industry experts, academia, and government, to integrate efforts across government and provide additional resources in order to position Canada as a leader in the digital economy and shape global governance of emerging technologies, including with respect to data and privacy rights, taxation, online violent extremism, the ethical use of new technologies, and the future of work. This will build on our work to implement Canada’s first Digital Charter and reform our laws to protect the personal information of individuals. [source]
• Introduce legislation, within 100 days, that would require digital platforms that generate revenues from the publication of news content to share a portion of their revenues with Canadian news outlets. This legislation would be based on the Australian model and level the playing field between global platforms and Canadian news outlets. The bill will also allow news publishers to work together to prepare for collective negotiation. [source]
• Re-introduce An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Identification of Criminals Act and to make related amendments to other Acts (COVID-19 response and other measures)to make criminal procedure reforms that adopt virtual means such as the use of virtual remote proceedings and expanded use of the telewarrant process. [source]
• Further support technological modernization of federal courtrooms and tribunals. [source]
• Support provinces and territories in the digitization and modernization of their court systems and facilitate partnerships to develop specialized technological and digital services for court operations that are safe, secure, and lead to greater and fairer access to justice. [source]
• Introduce legislation within its first 100 days to combat serious forms of harmful online content, specifically hate speech, terrorist content, content that incites violence, child sexual abuse material and the non-consensual distribution of intimate images. This would make sure that social media platforms and other online services are held accountable for the content that they host. Our legislation will recognize the importance of freedom of expression for all Canadians and will take a balanced and targeted approach to tackle extreme and harmful speech. [source]
• Strengthen the Canada Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code to more effectively combat online hate. [source]

Early Childhood Education and Childcare

• Move forward on building an Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care system that meets the needs of Indigenous families, wherever they live. [source]
• Ensure more Indigenous families have access to high-quality programming. [source]
• Create 3,300 new child care spaces. [source]
• Invest in Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern communities. [source]
• Continue to support before and after school care for First Nations children on reserve. [source]
• Continue to fully fund Jordan’s Principle. [source]
• Continue to fully fund Inuit Child First Initiative. [source]
• Continue to work with the Métis Nation to fund the unique needs of Métis children. [source]
• Reduce fees for child care by 50% in the next year. [source]
• Deliver $10 a day child care within five years or less. [source]
• Build 250,000 new high-quality child care spaces. [source]
• Hire 40,000 more early childhood educators. [source]
• Finalize agreements with all remaining provinces and territories. [source]
• Work with the province of Quebec to build on its world-class, affordable child care system, improve working conditions for educators, and create more spaces for families. [source]
• Work with Indigenous partners to ensure Indigenous children have access to culturally appropriate, affordable, high-quality early learning and child care. [source]
• Enact federal child care legislation to strengthen and protect a Canada-wide child care system. [source]

Government Services

• Undertake a comprehensive strategic policy review of government programs. Unlike past exercises that were driven by cost-savings or deficit reduction objectives, this continuous process will examine how effectively each major program and policy is doing in meeting the biggest challenges of our time, including: achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, improving fairness and equality, and promoting quality of life and growth for everyone. [source]
• Introduce a 1-800 help line for seniors to provide a single point of access to a wide range of government services and benefits. [source]

Journalism

• Introduce legislation, within 100 days, that would require digital platforms that generate revenues from the publication of news content to share a portion of their revenues with Canadian news outlets. This legislation would be based on the Australian model and level the playing field between global platforms and Canadian news outlets. The bill will also allow news publishers to work together to prepare for collective negotiation. [source]
• Support the production of news in underserved communities with $50 million over five years through the Local Journalism Initiative. [source]
• Develop a new $50 million Changing Narratives Fund to empower diverse communities, including BIPOC journalists and creatives, with the tools to tell their own stories and promote diverse voices in arts and culture and across media. [source]

LGBTQ2

• Complete the Federal Action Plan within the first 100 days in office. [source]
• Provide $40 million over 4 years starting in 2021-2022 for capacity funding to Canadian LGBTQ2 service organizations. [source]

Mental Health

• Establish a new federal transfer to provinces and territories—the Canada Mental Health Transfer—to assist jurisdictions to expand the delivery of high-quality, accessible, and free mental health services. Building on the principles of universality and accessibility in the Canada Health Act, this transfer will help establish standards in each province and territory, so that Canadians are able to expect services that are timely, universal, and culturally competent. This will help each jurisdiction focus on and solve critical backlogs in service and provide help to those who need it, according to the unique needs in each region. [source]
• Commit to permanent, ongoing funding for mental health services under the Canada Mental Health Transfer, with an initial investment of $4.5 billion over 5 years. Including the existing bilateral agreement on mental health services signed in 2017, this would bring federal support for mental health services to $2.5 billion per year by 2025-26. This is in addition to further investments we will make to support First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities with better access to trauma and mental health services. [source]
• Undertake a comprehensive review of access to the Disability Tax Credit, CPP-Disability and other federal benefits and programs to ensure they are available to people experiencing mental health challenges. [source]
• Include mental health as a specific element of occupational health and safety under the Canada Labour Code and require federally regulated employers to take preventative steps to address workplace stress and injury. [source]
• Fully fund a national, three-digit mental health crisis and suicide prevention hotline. [source]
• Work with partners to ensure timely access to perinatal mental health services. [source]
• Introduce a new fund for student well-being to improve wait times and increase access to mental health care at colleges and universities. The fund will support the hiring of up to 1,200 new mental health care counsellors, including those who can support the needs of BIPOC students, at post-secondary institutions across Canada. We will invest $500 million over four years and dedicate 10% annually to support Indigenous-governed and operated postsecondary institutions. [source]
• Co-developing and continuing to invest in a distinction-based Mental Health and Wellness Strategy that meets the deep and unique needs of all First Nations / Inuit / Métis Nation to address the ongoing impacts of colonization and residential schools. A co-developed mental health and wellness strategy could also respond to the prevalent opioid crisis, include culturally appropriate wraparound services for addictions and trauma, suicide and life promotion, and the building of treatment centres based on the priorities of First Nations / Inuit / Métis Nation  communities. [source] [source] [source]

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People

• Accelerate the implementation of the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People with Indigenous partners. [source]
• Accelerate our work with all partners in our collective and shared priorities in the 2021 National Action Plan. [source]
• Create a standing Federal-Provincial-Territorial table on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People to facilitate and coordinate this work. [source]
• Working with First Nations / Inuit / Métis Nation to implement $2.2 billion over 5 years beginning in 2021-22, and $160.9 million ongoing, to address violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people through implementation of the Federal Pathway and the 2021 National Action Plan. [source] [source] [source]

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation

• Provide funding towards the construction of a permanent home for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. [source]
• Provide sustained financial support for the Centre for core operations in fulfilling the mandate issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission with dedicated support for the work on Missing Children and Unmarked Graves. [source]

Public Service

• Create the Diversity Fellowship in the Public Service to mentor and sponsor diverse groups in the public service and implement an action plan to increase representation in hiring and appointments, and leadership development within the Public Service. [source]
• Create a fellowship for 1000 students and new graduates and offer French Language Training to 3rd and 4th year students to help bridge current gaps including language barriers. [source]
• Increase diversity by offering language programs to racialized employees and expanding the public service recruitment program to international students and permanent residents. [source]
• Help community organizations foster students to enter the public service. [source]
• Establish a mental health fund for Black public servants, and support career advancement, training, sponsorship, and educational opportunities for Black workers. [source]

Publishing

• Invest $43 million per year to support Canadian authors and books publishers by increasing, by 50%, funding for through the Canada Book Fund, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Public Lending Right Program. [source]

Quantum Computing

• Move forward with a National Quantum Strategy that will amplify Canada’s significant strength in quantum research, and grow our quantum-ready technologies, companies, and talent. [source]

Reconciliation

• Continue to support Indigenous-led processes for rebuilding and reconstituting nations, advancing self-determination and work in partnership on implementation of treaties, land claim and self-government agreements with appropriate oversight mechanisms to hold the federal government accountable. [source]
• Continue to support First Nations-led processes to transition away from the Indian Act. [source]
• Continue to advance the priorities of Indigenous communities to reclaim full jurisdiction in the areas that matter to them such as child and family services, education, health care, policing, tax, and the administration of justice. [source]
• Further support and fund the revitalization of Indigenous laws, legal systems, and traditions. [source]
• Host a First Ministers Meeting on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation priorities. [source]
• Co-developing and continuing to invest in a distinction-based Mental Health and Wellness Strategy that meets the deep and unique needs of all First Nations / Inuit / Métis Nation to address the ongoing impacts of colonization and residential schools. A co-developed mental health and wellness strategy could also respond to the prevalent opioid crisis, include culturally appropriate wraparound services for addictions and trauma, suicide and life promotion, and the building of treatment centres based on the priorities of First Nations / Inuit / Métis Nation  communities. [source] [source] [source]
• Working with First Nations to ensure that the Indigenous Languages Act continues to be fully implemented, in order to preserve, promote, and revitalize Indigenous languages in Canada, supported with long-term, predictable, and sufficient funding. [source] [source] [source]
• Working with First Nations / Inuit / Métis Nation  to continue to fully implement An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis Children, Youth and Families with long-term, predictable, and sufficient funding to support its full implementation. [source] [source] [source]

Research

• Add 1,000 Canada Research Chairs to help attract and retain top talent at Canadian universities and support graduate research, with a focus on improving gender and racial equity among Canadian faculty, promoting inter-disciplinary research, and reinforcing Canada’s world leading capabilities in life sciences and bio-medical research. [source]
• Establish a $75 million a year fund for colleges and universities to help commercialize leading research, including identifying and securing patent rights for research done within their institutions and connecting researchers with people and businesses to help put these innovations into action and grow our economy. [source]
• Drawing on Canada’s contribution to mRNA science and vaccines, introduce a new $100 million a year fund to pursue moonshot research into high-impact illnesses where a vaccine may be possible. [source]
• Establish a Canada Advanced Research Projects Agency (CARPA) as a public-private bridge for research that helps develop and maintain Canadian-led technology and capabilities in high-impact areas. Modelled on the Defense Advanced Research Projects (DARPA) in the United States, which has helped pioneer the development of several iconic technologies, including GPS mapping, the agency would be established with an initial endowment of $2 billion. [source]
• Strengthen equity targets for federally funded scientific research delivered through the granting councils to include a specific target for the representation of Black Canadians. [source]
• Provide funding of $30 million over 5 years to help promising graduate students, support the mentorship and development of younger researchers, and increase opportunities for Black Canadians in Canadian post-secondary institutions. [source]

Residential Schools

• Provide the necessary supports for communities who wish to continue to undertake the work of burial searches at the former sites of these institutions. [source]

Student Loans

• Increase the repayment assistance threshold to $50,000 for Canada Student Loan borrowers who are single. This means that new grads, working hard early in their careers, won’t have to begin repaying their loans until they earn at least $50,000 annually. [source]
• Permanently eliminate the federal interest on Canada Student Loans and Canada Apprentice Loans to support young Canadians who choose to invest in post-secondary education. This will benefit over 1 million student loan borrowers and save an average borrower more than $3,000 over the lifetime of their loan. [source]
• Let new parents pause repayment of their federal student loans until their youngest child reaches the age of five. This would also include new parents who have graduated but still haven’t finished paying off their loans. [source]

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

• Fully implementing An Act respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and co-developing the Action Plan to achieve the objectives of the Declaration. [source]
• Include, in all cabinet ministers’ mandate letters, the requirement to implement UNDRIP, and ensure their offices and ministries work alongside Indigenous peoples to advance their rights. [source]

(Via Liberal Party of Canada)

*Kevin Vuong was elected in the riding Spadina-Fort York under the Liberal banner but will sit as an Independent MP in the House of Commons.