Trudeau Rival O’Toole Puts Campaign Focus on Jobs, Curbing Covid

(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s main rival in the Sept. 20 parliamentary election, Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole, released details of his campaign platform. He’s emphasizing job creation, fighting Covid, expanded support for caregivers and tourism workers, lowering housing and food prices, and fighting climate change.

Here are highlights of the 160-page campaign document:

On jobs:

• 50% wage subsidy for six months for some new hires
• 5% tax credit for corporate capital investments made in 2022-2023
• 25% tax credit for small-business investments up to C$100,000 ($79,500)
• Loans of as much as C$200,000 for small and midsize companies in hospitality, retail and tourism, up to 25% of which could be forgiven

On Covid:

• Prioritize signing of contracts for booster vaccinations
• Assist homegrown development and production of vaccines by Canadian companies such as Providence Therapeutics, Sanofi, Medicago Inc.
• Implement national rapid-screening program to allow businesses to remain open amid variant outbreaks

On caregivers:

• Cover up to 75% of child care costs for lower-income families through a tax credit
• Add a Canada Seniors Care benefit of $200 per month, per household for those living with and caring for a person over age 70

Housing:

• Build 1 million homes in three years
• Temporary ban on foreign ownership by non-residents
• Encourage a new market of 7- and 10-year mortgages

Climate:

• Introduce zero-emission vehicle mandate requiring 30% of light duty vehicles sold to be zero emissions by 2030

Also:

• 3% digital services tax on gross revenue in Canada for foreign companies that don’t pay corporate income tax in the country
• The platform didn’t include a price tag but said the Parliamentary Budget Office is reviewing it

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