Fortunately, one local politician was paying close attention to this issue. Don Davies, the longtime NDP MP for Vancouver Kingsway, decided to push hard for a universal dental-care program.
‘There are still many unknowns,’ says epidemiologist, as MPs report public anxiety as mandates lift amid COVID sixth wave
NDP MP Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway, B.C.), his party’s health critic, told The Hill Times that his read on the situation was that there are conflicting feelings in the Canadian public.
“On the one hand, as we enter our third year, there is definitely fatigue and a yearning for a return to normal,” said Davies. “On the other hand, I think there is great concern that restrictions that are being lifted may be premature, but I think both of those strains are very prevalent in the population.”
Going inside the room: How the Liberal-NDP confidence deal happened
Cabinet as a whole didn't know it was happening. Neither did the full NDP caucus. Some were consulted on specific issues. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland was brought in to talk about the budget needs. NDP health critic Don Davies said Tuesday he also worked to provide information to the leadership team.
Jagmeet Singh expects federal dental plan to remain faithful to NDP campaign promise
A 2020 report by the parliamentary budget officer offers some details on the NDP's vision.
The report is based on NDP health critic Don Davies' request to estimate the cost of a federal dental plan based on the current non-insured health benefits program, a federal benefits program for First Nations and Inuit in Canada.
The program includes more robust and preventive coverage than the federal dental program for refugees or federal inmates, which are aimed at emergency dental procedures.
Liberal-NDP dental plan would benefit millions of Canadians
The program was the centrepiece of an agreement announced Tuesday by the Liberals and NDP, that will see the former stay in power as a minority government until 2025 with support from the latter.
Canada to send anti-tank weapons, ammunition to Ukraine as critics accuse Ottawa of delays to lethal aid
Removing the visa requirement for Ukrainians to travel to Canada is “not under review,” according to the Department of Citizenship and Immigration.
Both Davies and Garnett Genius (Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) said Canada should permit visa-free travel given the circumstance, with Davies noting more than 100 countries don’t require visas for Ukrainian citizens.
It’s time to renew Canada’s public health-care partnership
By Don Davies, MP
Published in The Hill Times
It is now a truism that while COVID-19 caused many problems, it exposed others already there. One of the latter is the dangerous erosion of capacity in our public health-care system which began long before the pandemic struck.
Decades of underfunding and neglect have impeded access to care and undermined our ability to respond to an emergency like COVID-19. This has placed tremendous strain on our health-care system, resulted in millions of delayed surgeries and diagnostic procedures, and pushed frontline workers to the edge of their capacities.
Canada Post’s bureaucratic belligerence unmasked
"It’s rare that you can see such a poor decision from an organizational, labour/employment and health point of view," said NDP health critic Don Davies, a Vancouver MP.
"This one is like a triple-loser."
Davies said the policy will only add to suffering and labour shortages that multiple sectors are grappling with, and he finds it ironic Gallagher was sent home instead of applauded for trying to protect his family and colleagues.
"I think it’s perverse that any employer — never mind a federal government department — would have any kind of policy to discourage that."