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Cariboo-Prince George Conservative MP Todd Doherty says the agreement between the Liberals and New Democrats that would see the opposition party support Justin Trudeau's minority government through to 2025 only confirms what everyone has known all along - that the two have been working in cahoots for some time now.
"Whether it's the WE Scandal or other issues that have faced government or faced parliament over the last two years, time and time again, the NDP has sided with the government and propped them up," Doherty said Tuesday from Ottawa.
"If there is a positive, it's that finally they've come forward and told Canadians that indeed when you voted for the Liberals or you voted for the NDP, you voted for a coalition in the last election and I guess the question begs, is that what they really voted for and at what cost is this going to fall on the backs of Canadians?"
Skeena-Bulkley Valley NDP MP Taylor Bachrach, in contrast, was upbeat as he spoke about the opportunities the agreement will present, and emphasized in particular a dental-care program for low-income Canadians.
"So many people talk about dental care - they talk about the cost of fixing their kids teeth. I meet with people who, because of their dental issues, they can't smile, they can't get employment, I talk with seniors who have all sorts of issues that started with dental issues," Bachrach said during a video conference with regional media.
"And as everyone knows, dental care is extremely expensive, especially for people who don't have insurance coverage, so I'm so thrilled to share with you that we have an agreement that is going to see public universal dental care for Canadians right across the country."
He said the plan will be brought in incrementally, beginning this year with children under 12, then be expanded next year to include youth under 18 years old, seniors and people with disabilities and then low-income adults by 2025.
A key plank of the NDP's past two campaign platforms, the program would be restricted to families with an income of less than $90,000, with no co-pays for anyone under $70,000 in income. Cost is estimated at about $11 billion over five years, according to the NDP's 2021 election platform.
Asked for his opinion on the initiative, Doherty said the Conservatives believe that every Canadian should have access to affordable health care.
"The concern, I guess, is that this was an underhanded agreement, one that wasn't put to Canadians in terms of this relationship in the last election and do they truly have a mandate to do this?," Doherty said.
Other initiatives under the agreement touch on national pharmacare, phasing out subsides for fossil fuels, and affordable housing, the last of which Bachrach said could be of special interest to Indigenous communities.
"When it comes to funding and infrastructure, the housing needs in Indigenous communities are right at the forefront," Bachrach said. "People are living in some terrible, unhealthy conditions due to the low quality of housing that was built."
Not only does existing housing need to be upgraded, new housing needs to be built because Indigenous communities are growing and many Indigenous people want to move back to their home communities, Bachrach said.
The agreement also calls for phasing out subsides for fossil fuels and Doherty predicted the "radical left" will now be able to pursue its pet causes at the expense of jobs in Prince George and beyond.
"We're a service centre for northern British Columbia, we're surrounded by major industries that come under fire by the radical left all the time. What message does that send to those businesses and organizations that want to invest in Canada?," Doherty said.
Despite the NDP lacking a seat in cabinet as a result, Doherty repeatedly called the arrangement a "coalition" and guaranteed something similar never would have been reached between the NDP and the Conservatives.
He said the Conservatives now have three years to build a strong team and "take them on in 2025 or whenever this coalition expires."
