PCs release blue book, say they'll forge 'new deal' with Ottawa
Tories pledge $93M in spending, bulk of cash aimed at stimulating job creation
In what could be the most thorough party platform this election, the Progressive Conservatives released a costed plan Friday afternoon, just over a week prior to the Feb. 13 election. The release comes on the heels of similar plans this week from the NDP and Liberals.
The 76-page PC document pledges $93 million in government spending, with the bulk of the cash earmarked for stimulus initiatives, including tax credits and a venture capital fund.
Notably, the Tories set aside amounts for social supports, including adult dental care, Indigenous language funding and subsidized child care.
It also leans heavily toward balancing the provincial books, which the PCs say they can do within eight years. That doesn't include debt repayment, which the party says it would work toward after fixing the budget deficit.
PC Leader Ches Crosbie was targeted by his Liberal opponent, leader Andrew Furey, at this week's televised debate for framing the province's economic position as near-bankrupt.
The PC platform moved decisively away from that tone Friday, adopting optimism and calling Newfoundland and Labrador's eventual economic success "inevitable."
A 'new deal' with Ottawa
The Tories launch their platform with a vow to renegotiate the federal relationship, emphasizing a "new deal" with Ottawa.
The party repeatedly frames the federal positions on Muskrat Falls, the fisheries and equalization as missed opportunities to pay off the province's debt.
The Tories are promising to demand that Ottawa takes an equity stake in the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric megaproject, and asserts that the generator creates enough green energy to excuse Newfoundland and Labrador residents from paying federal carbon tax, although it doesn't outline how that exemption could work.
The party would also request help from Ottawa to invest in the offshore oil industry and attempt to secure the joint management of fisheries, which would in theory pave the way for greater self-determination over resources.
A focus on equalization payments, meanwhile, points a finger at six years of Liberal rule, claiming the previous governments failed to get a deal with Ottawa to bring Newfoundland and Labrador back into the federal program, after more than a decade of not receiving payments.
Red tape, taxes cut
As Crosbie continues to campaign on job creation, the party's blue book details some of its ideas for growth, which include a medley of tax credits.
The more typical conservative philosophies — paring down regulations and fees — are paired with pledges tailored for Newfoundland and Labrador, including a vow to reach 98 per cent Internet connectivity by 2025 and a relocation tax credit to entice interprovincial workers to take up residence.
While the NDP endorsed cutting the three per cent small business tax entirely, the PCs didn't match the promise. The party did, however, highlight tax cuts and dangled tax breaks for hiring businesses as an incentive to reinforce their job creation agenda.
The PCs also say they'll slash bureaucratic barriers for residents in general, making public services easier to access online and adopting a "customer service" mentality.
Earlier this week, Furey accused Crosbie of attempting to slash the health-care budget, but the Tory platform backed away from any mention of health-care spending cuts. Instead, the document spoke of streamlining the system by reducing unnecessary medical tests and divert "unwise" expenditures.
Red tape added, with view to add jobs
Despite campaigning on a promise to slash red tape, the party also said it would implement a number of new regulations aimed at boosting local employment.
Those include mandating companies to hire locally and securing a quota for women and other underrepresented groups, although the platform did not specify the minimum requirement.
A handful of programs aimed at attracting immigrants — settlement assistance, a graduate retention program and a remote work pilot project — also round out the party's vision for growing the province's tax base.
Social, cultural supports
The PCs listed a full complement of promises to advance gender equality, including creating a standalone department for the status of women, replete with its own minister.
The party says it would also introduce pay equity legislation and match the Liberals' $25-a-day child care policy, while providing additional subsidies for home-cased care.
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The party also pledged several amounts for social supports, including $3 million for adult dental care. The NDP have also campaigned on increasing access to dental services.
With a focus on Labrador, the party promised to undertake a feasibility study on a north coast highway, spend $1.2 million on Nain's airstrip and add $450,000 to a Labrador culture fund and Indigenous culture courses.
Like the Liberal Party, the PCs pledged to tie minimum wage increases to the consumer price index. The NDP is the only party promising substantially larger minimum wage hikes.
