NDP promises 1 million new jobs, better supports for workers

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party is committed to creating 1 million jobs something both the Liberals and Conservatives have promised to do in the past.

The NDP plan includes commitments to improve worker benefits such as sick leave and investments in infrastructure to build moreaffordable housing and retrofit buildings.

"We need to invest in those areas where people lost jobs and to create more jobs," Singh told a press conference in Windsor, Ont. today.

Singh's announcement comes as party leaders have been making announcements across the country in anticipation of an election call that'swidely expected by the end of thesummer.

The Liberals have been touting a plan to recover 1 million jobs since their throne speech in the fall, and in March the Conservatives announced a plan to recover the same numberof jobs.

Singh said the difference betweenhis plan and those oftheother parties is that hispromises more supports for workers.

"For us, there is no jobs plan unless we've got better work, meaning we've got to immediately increase the minimum wage at the federal level [and]legislate paid sick days," he said.

• Have an election question for CBC News? Email us:Ask@cbc.ca. Your input helps inform our coverage.

But the governing Liberals say the New Democratsare making promises while lacking a clear plan.

"The NDP announcement might sound good, but there was no detail and plan to back it up," saidAshley Michnowski, director of communications for Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough, in an emailed statement.

The NDPispromising an increase to the minimum wage and a sick leave program that would provide workers with 10 paid sick days. Singh acknowledged those measureswould apply onlyto people working in federally regulated industries.

When asked what that would mean forworkers covered by provincial labour laws, Singh said the federal government can encourage provinces to follow its example.

"How can we as a federal government raise the importance of paid sick leave if there's not paid sick leave at the federal level?" he said.

Buy Canadian policy?

While the NDP plan focuses on workersupports, Singh said the bulk of the job creation activity would come from his promised investments in infrastructure.

"Our plan also includes a number of measures that are going to create economic activity," he said.

The NDP ispromisingto build half-a-million affordable housing units, retrofit large buildings to make them more energy efficientand buildan unspecified number of long-term care homes.

Other parts of the plan are aimed atensuringCanadian products are used in auto manufacturing and public infrastructure projects.

"Infrastructure projects that are Canadian projects have to be made using Canadian products," Singhsaid. Hestopped short of calling it a "Buy Canadian" policy, however.

U.S. President Joe Biden moved to strengthen existingBuy American policies once he came into office, prompting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to raise the policyin their first official discussion.

Singh said Canada can ensure the use of Canadian goods in infrastructure projects while still respecting international trade agreements.