The NDP is promising to invest a total of $13 billion in health, education and child and social services if it forms the next Ontario government.
At a union rally in Windsor, Ont., on Wednesday, NDP Leader Howard Hampton released a plan on health care as the final plank of his party's platform.
The party promises to invest $400 million to hire more nurses and doctors in Ontario, said Hampton, and $230 million toward providing more home care for seniors.
Physiotherapy, optometry and chiropractic care would again be covered by provincial health care.
Hampton would hike cigarette, corporate, income taxes
All of the NDP's health-care commitments total more than $9.5 billion, and to help cover the expense, Hampton said the cost of cigarettes would increase by 17 per cent. It would bring it in line with British Columbia, which has the highest prices in Canada.
The higher taxes would help prevent cancer and bring in revenues up to $675 million, he said.
"If we can reduce the number of working families smoking, their lives will be much more affordable, and much more healthy too."
Prudent revenue growth projections, slightly higher corporate taxes and eliminating a payroll exemption for large corporations will help pay for the plan, said the party.
The biggest new revenue source would come from the creation of a provincial tax bracket for taxpayers making more than $150,000 a year. The proposed taxes are projected to generate $1 billion annually by the end of a four-year mandate.
Hampton's other five campaign planks focused on reducing the health tax, increasing the province's minimum wage, environmental protection, education funding and freezing tuition fees.
The party has to walk a fine line between offering a radical alternative and being a mainstream option, said Stephen Clarkson, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, and Hampton may not have been daring enough for the NDP to see a real breakthrough this election.
"The problem, electorally speaking, is none of [the policies] really stand out," said Clarkson. "A policy has to be very salient and your position has to be different from everyone else."
With files from the Canadian PressRelated
Ontario Votes 2007 »
- McGuinty wins massive majority, Tory loses seat
- Dalton McGuinty won a second majority government for the Liberals in Ontario on Wednesday night, a triumph for a party that earlier expressed fears of a drop to minority status.
- Ontario rejects electoral reform in referendum
- Ontario voters have rejected a proposed electoral reform that would have seen some provincial legislators chosen based on a party's share of the popular vote, results showed Thursday.
- Ontario voter turnout a record low
- The percentage of eligible voters casting ballots in Wednesday's Ontario election hit an all-time low despite changes introduced in an effort to boost turnout.
- Ont. Green party scores 8 per cent of vote
- No Green party candidates made it to the Ontario legislature in Wednesday's election, but that defeat was sweetened by a swell in their share of the popular vote, which more than doubled.
- McGuinty only leader not facing leadership questions
- Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty won re-election in Ottawa South and NDP Leader Howard Hampton again won his northern Ontario riding of Kenora-Rainy River. PC Leader John Tory was defeated.
District Profiles
More Ontario Votes Headlines »
- McGuinty wins massive majority, Tory loses seat
- Dalton McGuinty won a second majority government for the Liberals in Ontario on Wednesday night, a triumph for a party that earlier expressed fears of a drop to minority status.
- Ontario rejects electoral reform in referendum
- Ontario voters have rejected a proposed electoral reform that would have seen some provincial legislators chosen based on a party's share of the popular vote, results showed Thursday.
- Ontario voter turnout a record low
- The percentage of eligible voters casting ballots in Wednesday's Ontario election hit an all-time low despite changes introduced in an effort to boost turnout.
- Ont. Green party scores 8 per cent of vote
- No Green party candidates made it to the Ontario legislature in Wednesday's election, but that defeat was sweetened by a swell in their share of the popular vote, which more than doubled.
- McGuinty only leader not facing leadership questions
- Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty won re-election in Ottawa South and NDP Leader Howard Hampton again won his northern Ontario riding of Kenora-Rainy River. PC Leader John Tory was defeated.
