About Your Candidates
The 2019 federal election will be held on October 21, 2019. The campaign period is a golden opportunity to get our message out to future Parliamentarians about the value of a robust health research and innovation ecosystem to the country and what is needed from them to sustain and promote it.
The last federal election on October 19, 2015 produced a majority Liberal government. The Conservatives became the Official Opposition after leading the government for more than nine years. The current party standings in the House of Commons are: Liberals 177 seats, Conservatives 96 seats, the NDP 41 seats, the Bloc Québécois 10 seats, Green Party 2 seats, Independent members 7 seats, the People’s Party of Canada 1 seat, the Canadian Cooperative Commonwealth 1 seat.
Generally speaking, political parties will likely focus on these key issues during the 2019 campaign:
- Liberal – Reducing the burden on the middle class, pharmacare, job creation, climate change, infrastructure, seniors, gender equality, rural connectivity, affordable housing.
- Conservative – Reducing taxes, balanced budget, carbon tax, energy project approvals, ethics, immigration and secure borders.
- NDP – Social inequality, electoral reform, pharmacare, corporate tax increases, climate change, affordable housing.
Focusing on health policy specifically:
- Pharmacare is positioned to take up much of the oxygen for the healthcare debate.
- Cost will drive the debate on pharmacare. The Conservatives are expected to introduce an alternative pharma plan as a counter to the Liberal and NDP plans. The Conservatives recently signaled a five-year return to budget timeline, which would allow for an investment in the program.
- Seniors are on the radar for all three major parties. The youth-focused Liberal government created a ministerial post for seniors late in its mandate, and other parties are expected to include this issue in their platforms. The Conservatives are considering initiatives to address seniors’ homelessness; and support services are a focus for the Liberals.
- Indigenous health services are a focus for the Liberals and NDP. The Liberals have invested massive figures in social services and healthcare for rural and remote communities, as well as Indigenous communities in urban centres.
- Access to healthcare is a focus for all parties including the Green Party. The Liberals appointed a rural minister partway through their mandate and are identifying potential commitments to rural health access.
- Mental health investment is poised to be a Liberal commitment. The Liberal-lead health committee recently completed a study on farmers’ mental health.
- Cuts to health spending in Ontario are being watched closely by the Liberals, who are eyeing an opportunity to make up the gap being created by the Ford government.[1]
2019 Candidate Survey
The following Candidates have completed our 2019 Candidate Survey. Click on their names to view their responses.
British Columbia
- Laurel Collins (Victoria, BC)
- Yvonne Hanson (Vancouver-Granville, BC)
- Taleeb Noormohamed (Vancouver-Granville, BC)
- Jagmeet Singh (Burnaby South, BC)
New Brunswick
Ontario
- Angelique Belcourt (Simcoe North, ON)
- Stephanie Bell (Bay of Quinte, ON)
- Sarah Climenhaga (Toronto St. Paul’s, ON)
- Carol Dyck (London North Centre, ON)
- Mohamed Hammoud (London-Fanshawe, ON)
- Melissa Jean-Baptiste Vajda (University-Rosedale, ON)
- Angela Keller-Herzog (Ottawa Centre, ON)
- Shawna Lewkowitz (London West, ON)
- Mike McMullen (London West, ON)
- Oriana Ngabirano (Ottawa-Vanier, ON)
- Mike Schmitz (Humber River-Black Creek, ON)
- Adam Vaughan (Spadina Fort York, ON)
- Kate Young (London West, ON)
Saskatchewan
Don’t see your local Candidate? Send them a link to our 2019 Candidate Survey and ask them to share their thoughts on Canadian health research and health innovation with their future constituents!
[1] Michelle McLean, Hill+Knowlton Strategies. Presentation to Research Canada’s Board of Directors, June 5, 2019. https://rc-rc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/RC-Election-Briefing.pdf