Poilievre promises to ‘protect’ dental care

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OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre promised Tuesday that Canadians receiving federal dental care would continue to do so, should his party form the next government.

Poilievre outlined his intention for the program, while appearing in Vaughn, Ont., where he made an announcement on housing affordability.

Asked about dental care and pharmacare, two programs the Liberals established over their last term in government, Poilievre pledged to “protect these programs.”

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“No one who has them will lose them,” he told reporters. “We will make sure that nobody loses their dental care.”

Creating a federal dental care program was one of the conditions listed in the supply-and-confidence agreement the Liberals entered into with the New Democrats in March 2022, which formally ended last summer.

The bill that ushered in a national dental-care became law at the end of that year.

The Liberals began implementing the program in phases, with benefits currently open to seniors over 65, children and those receiving federal disability benefits.

Eligibility requirements say only those without dental insurance who earn a net family income of less than $90,000 can apply.

According to federal statistics, nearly 3.5 million applicants have been approved, with more than 1.5 million people having accessed dental care through the program.

The Liberals announced in 2023 it would spend $13 billion over five years to implement the program, which it expected to run an annual cost of $4.4 billion going forward. 

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Prior to the election, Poilievre has previously been mum on whether the party plans to continue with the program. On the eve of the election call, the Liberals announced plans to expand its eligibility even further to those between 18 and 64, beginning in May.

Voters will go the polls before that, on April 28.

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh suggested to reporters that he expected the Conservatives to “lie” about their intentions, but said he expects Liberal Leader Mark Carney to do the same.

“We know what Conservatives do, folks in Ontario know what Conservatives do — they cut.” 

A spokeswoman for the Liberal campaign said Poilievre was trying to distance himself from his record in Parliament.

“After years of voting against vital programs for Canadian families and promising to make divisive cuts to dental care, pharmacare, and child care, Pierre Poilievre is now desperate to turn the page in the middle of an election campaign,” wrote Yana Titarenko. 

“Canadians know they can’t trust him. He’s the wrong choice at the wrong time.”

Prior to Sunday’s election call, the Liberals had been negotiating pharmacare agreements with each province and territory, which would extend universal coverage to some diabetes medications and contraceptives. Deals have currently been signed with British Columbia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and Yukon.

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On Tuesday, Poilievre also addressed the national child-care program.

The Conservative leader said while “we all believe there should be more affordable childcare in this country,” he took aim at the program rolled out by the Liberals as being a “massive top-down bureaucratic system.”

He said not only does the country lack sufficient childcare spaces, the program does not provide flexibility for parents who work night shifts or have private care.

Poilievre nonetheless pledged to honour the federal government’s agreements with provinces and territories, which are in place until 2026. Under those agreements, the Liberals say jurisdictions are to have $10-a-day childcare by that date.

“While honouring the agreements on childcare with the provinces, we’re going to give more freedom and flexibility to parents, providers and provinces to support the childcare of all the kids.”

He went on to promise that a Conservative government would “massively expand the availability of childcare and reduce the bureaucracy.”

Carney on Monday accused Poilievre of wanting to “eliminate” the national childcare and dental care programs to pay for  campaign promises like an income tax cut, which Conservatives estimate would cost $14 billion once fully implemented.

National Post

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