Election 2021 news brief: August 18, 2021

Future of Good members get an in-depth Election 2021 news brief sent right to your inbox 3x a week, giving you the high-level info you need to stay current. Our special coverage equips you with actionable insights to help you and your team understand and prepare for what a new federal government could hold. If you like our content, please consider becoming a member. See a snippet of the brief below.

As Canada’s election kicks into full gear, the federal parties have been unveiling their visions for the country’s COVID-19 recovery. The Conservative Party was the latest to do so on Monday, with leader Erin O’Toole debuting a plan focused on addressing the economic devastation wrought by the pandemic. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has yet to cost out the plan, but party officials say it’s in the works. When it comes to social policy, the Conservatives’ platform includes:

• The creation of one million jobs to recover those lost during the pandemic by paying up to 50 percent of the salaries of new hires once the current Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) expires
• The commitment to connect all of Canada to high-speed internet by 2025
• The replacement of the current national childcare plan with a refundable tax credit to cover up to 75 percent of the childcare costs for lower-income families
• A revision of the current carbon pricing regime that would see the levies paid on fossil fuels banked in personal “low carbon savings accounts” instead of channeled into tax money
• An increase to employment ownership of Canadian companies by creating trusts with tax advantages for company owners to sell to their workers
• The building of one million homes in three years, alongside incentives for the private sector to help build affordable housing
• A boost in funding to provinces for mental healthcare, including incentives for employers to provide mental health coverage
• The creation of a Canadian Indigenous Opportunities Corporation to support First Nations and Inuit organizations seeking to purchase equity stakes in major projects

Federal Election 2021: The Latest Updates

We’re sharing the latest links to policy promises and campaign developments 3x a week.

• A poll from Angus Reid Institute found climate change is top of mind for B.C. voters, with 45 percent of those surveyed calling it a priority. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh was seen as “best suited” to tackle the climate crisis, but the Liberal parties had more support overall.
• Civil society organizations represent a wealth of experience on public policy issues yet data from Elections Canada indicates they largely go silent during election campaigns.
• Experts say Canadians should be weary of disinformation campaigns surrounding the federal election. The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a new growth of online communities devoted to deceptive information, which could spur further conspiracies. 
• As the Taliban retake control over Afghanistan, Canada plans to welcome 20,000 Afghan refugees through new programs. Although foreign policy and immigration issues rarely impact the outcomes of federal elections, the situation in Afghanistan could garner significant attention leading up to the vote.
• Trans-exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs) operate under the guise of protecting cis women, while pushing harmful transphobic ideas. With a federal election happening in Canada, here’s how you can identify if that “feminist” election group is actually anti-trans.
• Fae Johnstone, who was featured on Future of Good’s Young Impact Leaders’ list, breaks down the Conservative and NDP’s platform commitments to the 2SLGBTQ+ community on Twitter.

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