Ontario 2011 Provincial Election Comparison of Four Major Political Party Platforms October 2011

The following table compares the platform positions of the four major provincial political parties with RNAO’s key expectations for the next government as set out in Creating Vibrant Communities: RNAO’s Challenge to Ontario’s Political Parties.1 Platform commitments in the table are based on the policies and costing available from the four party websites. Only those commitments that address demands in RNAO’s own platform are included. Numbers in brackets correspond with the platform page on which the commitment is made. Unless otherwise specified, expenditure commitments are annual levels that would be reached after four years.

RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS2 COMMITMENTS3 4 COMMITMENTS56 7 COMMITMENTS8 A. Strengthen Social Determinants, Equity and Healthy Communities Implement Poverty Reduction Plan Increase the Ontario Push for expanded with multi-year sustainable funding Child Benefit from Canada Pension Plan $1,100 to $1,310 in and develop an Ontario 2013. (47) Retirement Plan. (15)

Create a new dental care program that will provide emergency dental care to 50,000 low-income adults each year using unspent funds from the government’s 2008 Healthy Smiles Ontario program. (Affordable Housing and Anti- Poverty Plan) Monitor poverty reduction plan to Will set the next poverty Take prompt action on ensure action for those historically reduction target to the recommendations of continue making the Commission for the

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS2 COMMITMENTS3 4 COMMITMENTS56 7 COMMITMENTS8 over-represented in poverty progress on this Review on Social important issue. (47) Assistance and develop a new five-year poverty reduction strategy with targets in 2013. (Affordable Housing and Anti-Poverty Plan) Increase minimum wage to Create advisory Increase minimum wage $13.25/hour with annual cost of living committee representing to $11.00 this year and increases both business and index to the cost of workers to recommend living. (26) on minimum wage increases and report prior to 2012 Ontario Budget (http://www.news.ontario .ca/mol/en/2011/02/201 1-minimum-wage-rate- set---highest-of- canadian-provinces.html ) Enforce Employment Standards Act to Increase Employment improve protection of vulnerable Standards enforcement. workers by hiring 30 new enforcement officers (26). Work with federal gov’t to expand EI Continue to work closely eligibility and benefits with the federal government to ensure review of the EI system will end longstanding discrimination against Ontario’s workers and businesses and complement Ontario’s

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS2 COMMITMENTS3 4 COMMITMENTS56 7 COMMITMENTS8 own reforms to social assistance. (51) Transform social assistance from Building on the Allow those who receive Immediately increase punitive rules, and raise rates government’s Poverty Ontario Works and OW and ODSP rates to significantly to reflect actual cost of Reduction Strategy, a Ontario Disability ensure they keep up living review of social Support assistance who with inflation while the assistance programs work part-time to keep review of social was launched more of their benefits assistance is conducted. in November 2010 and and ease their transition (Affordable Housing and is being led by Frances from social assistance to Anti-Poverty Plan) Lankin and Munir a job. (30) Sheikh. The review, Streamline the social 50 per cent increase to which will be completed assistance system rules. the Work-Related by June 2012, will: (1) (30) Benefit for all ODSP recommend ways to Require those who are recipients with improve people’s ability entitled to receive employment earnings to find and keep jobs assistance to reside in (up to $150/month). and guarantee security Ontario for one year End the clawback on the for people who cannot before collecting first $300 of monthly work; (2) examine and benefits. (30) earnings for ODSP determine the Lifetime ban for the recipients who take a effectiveness of social “worst repeat offenders job (the benefit will last assistance in Ontario of welfare fraud”. (33) for the first 12 months of and its role in relation to employment). (26) other parts of Canada’s income security system; and (3) provide for a system that is simple to understand, easy to access, financially sustainable and accountable to taxpayers (http://www.fin.gov.on.ca /en/budget/ontariobudge

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS2 COMMITMENTS3 4 COMMITMENTS56 7 COMMITMENTS8 ts/2011/ch1c.html#c1_s ecC_SA )

$100/month Healthy Food Supplement Legislate human right to adequate housing Implement Ontario Human Rights Commission recommendations to address rental housing discrimination Fast-track housing plan, including new Consider options for Phase in a new housing affordable housing, renovate existing delivering a new benefit over five years stock, community-based housing and housing benefit for that will help almost services Ontarians who 200,000 low-income are struggling. (47) individuals and families to better afford their Work with municipalities, rent. When fully phased non-profits and in, the average benefit developers to identify will be $96/month for opportunities to help individuals and create affordable $120/month for families. housing. (47) The program will cost $240 million a year when fully implemented.

Commit to a 10-year affordable housing plan to build 50,000 new affordable housing units. With sustained provincial funding reaching $150 million a year, this will build over

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS2 COMMITMENTS3 4 COMMITMENTS56 7 COMMITMENTS8 14,000 units in the next four years. (Affordable Housing and Anti-Poverty Plan) Implement provincial breastfeeding strategy

Fully implement With Our Best Future Ensure any family that Implement full-day in Mind report wants their child kindergarten for all four to attend full-day and five-year olds by kindergarten will be able 2014. (21) to do so by 2014. That’s 50,000 students now and growing to 250,000 in 2014. (17) Increased presence of school nurses Advocate for national affordable, regulated, not-for-profit child care program Build new affordable child care spaces Work with partners to A two-year $250 million modernize Ontario’s dollar investment in child childcare system and care to freeze child care support centres as they fees and keep centres transition to offering from closing. affordable care to families with younger children. (48) Equitable access in public education, 30 per cent across-the- Require colleges and Freeze tuition for 2012- freeze tuition fees and increase board, postsecondary universities to compete 2013 while maintaining access to needs-based grants for undergraduate tuition for up to 60,000 post- university and college post-secondary grant. That means – secondary spaces, budgets, index tuition every year – the families finding new ways to to rate of inflation from of five out of six ensure access, 2013-2015. (5) students will save affordability and

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS2 COMMITMENTS3 4 COMMITMENTS56 7 COMMITMENTS8 $1,600 per student in excellence. (22) university and $730 per student in college.(46) Strengthen human rights protection including list gender identity as prohibited ground of discrimination and harassment, and sexual orientation as prohibited ground of harassment Other: Not specific to RNAO platform but consistent with RNAO’s advocacy Advocacy for healthy public policies to Create a Council on “Make it easier to make Coordinate a address childhood obesity9 Childhood Obesity healthy choices…start comprehensive healthy whose goal will be a 20 by providing support to school food program. per cent reduction of the new moms, ensuring (11) childhood obesity rate mandatory physical within 5 years. education in secondary Provide all elementary school classrooms, school children with a banning advertising of healthy snack junk food aimed at program, exposing more children and making students to fresh, calorie labeling on nutritious foods and menus in large chain building healthy eating restaurants the law”. habits. Double the (39) Children’s Activity Tax Credit from $50 to $100 per child. (37)

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS B. Building Sustainable, Green Communities Implement climate change Finish replacing coal with Meaningful and practical Develop a plan within the plan with target reduction cleaner energy by 2014. efforts to address climate first year for Ontario to of greenhouse gases of at (27) change, including closing meet climate targets of 20 least 25% from 1990 by coal plants by 2014, make per cent below 1990 2020 and 80% by 2050 government buildings levels by 2020. (Env 12) more efficient and work with other levels of Phase out coal-fired government to “ensure electricity by 2014 and Ontario is doing its part to place coal plants on combat climate change.” emergency stand-by only (26) until they are phased out. (Env 5)

Dramatically increase Continue Feed-In-Tariff Remove HST from home Invest in comprehensive Reinstate and expand green share of energy and (FIT) program to provide hydro and home heating. energy efficiency the home energy savings reduce consumption guaranteed rates for (4) programs and program as part of through conservation renewable energy. (26) Remove debt retirement conservation, not nuclear comprehensive Green charge from hydro bills. mega-schemes. Rebates Building Program. (7) Move forward (4) of up to $5,000 for people Increasing generation on clean sources of energy Unplug smart meters and to retrofit their homes. targets for combined like wind, solar and end mandatory time-of- (Env 4-5) heat and power, remove pumped storage that will use pricing. (5) barriers to encourage create jobs. (27) Open and fair process for Remove HST from hydro, investment in innovative alternate energy sources home heating and technologies in

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS Become North America’s like solar, wind and gasoline. (12) conservation, efficiency leading maker of electric biomass that demands and a new smart grid. (7) vehicles. (1) affordable prices and Will exceed the current Increase incentives for Accelerate plan to have respects local targets for renewable low-emission, fuel- five per cent of all new decisions.(5) energy with 10,700 MW in efficient and electric cars electric by 2020 and End the feed-in tariff 2018 and 5,000 MW vehicles. (7) invest program and scrap the $7 additional green power by $80 million in the charging billion green energy 2030. Maintain the feed- stations and infrastructure Samsung deal. (6) in-tariff for small and required to support them. community-based A rebate will also make projects. Target additional buying an electric car more capacity of 5,000 MW of affordable. (29) combined heat and power over the next ten years. (Env 8) End all coal burning at Finish replacing coal with Complete closure of all Phase out coal-fired power plants by 2012 cleaner energy by 2014. coal power plants by electricity by 2014 and (27) 2014. Use the soon-to-be- place coal plants on closed coal plants as sites emergency stand-by only to provide newer, cleaner until they are phased out. energy from sources like Assess alternative ways natural gas or biomass. of powering the plants (25) using biomass and invest in transition plan for the workers. (Env 5) Cancel plans for Invest in nuclear energy, Will not build new nuclear Oppose construction of construction of new subject to the most plants and will carefully new nuclear plants and nuclear plants rigorous safety standards assess the need to prohibit cost overruns in the world. (5) refurbish existing from nuclear projects reactors. (18, Env 8) being passed to Will conduct a ratepayers and comprehensive taxpayers. (7) environmental assessment that looks at safety and cost before we

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS proceed with any electricity plan. (18) Phase in carbon tax and Make polluters Reward efficient use of other environmental levies responsible for their resources and emissions. Ontario would responsibly balance our join the Western Climate finances with a revenue Initiative so firms could neutral tax on waste, trade into a continental pollution and carbon cap and trade plan. emissions. (5) Revenues from cap and trade would be reinvested in reducing carbon emissions. (Env 12) Ensure any cap and trade system include a tight cap on permits to reach emissions targets Proceed with promised Expand GO train service Invest more than $35 Freeze transit fares for Implement a sustainable expansion of rapid transit, service by billion on transportation four years (14). “We will transportation plan, review highway expansion delivering full-day, two-way infrastructure, with share the cost of including incentives for GO service on all corridors balance between public operating transit equally ride-sharing, more high – the equivalent of 71 transit and with -occupancy lanes and million fewer car trips cars (“stop war on cars”) municipalities“. (14) tax credits for public annually. Provide a money (11). Invest in new transit transit users. (7) back guarantee to projects and upgrades. customers who (15) experience a 15-minute arrival delay.(42) Expand support for active Invest $10 million to Ensure all major Incentives for people to transportation such as improve provincial parks developments are pursue healthy lifestyles, safe for cycling and make more accessible by transit and support outdoor accessible. (26) other active modes of education and athletic transportation, and programs. (9) provide facilities for

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS cyclists. Create province- wide cycling infrastructure fund for investments in bike lanes, bike storage and bicycle tourism. Require drivers to stay at least one metre away from cyclist on the move. (Env 10) Tough regulations under Reverse exemptions and Toxics Reduction Act ensure all industrial activities and emissions are posted on the Environmental Registry for public comment. (Env 14) Full implementation of Cosmetic Pesticides Act and regulations, phase out golf course exemption

Strengthen source water Defend Ontario’s precious Designate Minister protection, recognize water resources for future responsible for protection human rights to safe, generations of the Great Lakes and clean drinking water with a Great Lakes establish clear objectives Protection Act and launch and legislation to ensure a fund that will reduce all government decisions water pollution and make protect the quantity and beaches cleaner. (44) quality of the Lakes. (Env 14) Self-determination for Allow First Nations and Planning process for the Aboriginal communities to local municipalities to North that includes open provide with control over keep revenue from the consultation and full land Mining Tax for any new use planning with all

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS their own resources mines that are developed. parties – First Nations, (24) workers, municipalities – Twice-yearly meetings at the table. (Env 14) between Premier, Senior Ministers and First Nations Leaders to address investment and jobs in north. (N6) Ban sale of bottled water in publicly-owned places

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS C. Enhancing Medicare Enforce the Canada Health Act Support a new, ten-year “Committed to publicly- Hitting patients with user and principle of publicly-funded, Health Accord, negotiated funded health care”. (17) fees or forcing them to look not-for-profit health care among provinces and to private healthcare isn’t a territories, with priorities, solution. accountability and clear Fees only make it harder goals. (50) for you to get the care you need and, in the long-run, do not save our province money. (31) (35) Eliminate ambulance fees. (35)

Support the federal government’s use of its power to withhold health transfers when violations of Canada Health Act occur Commit to prevent private for- profit clinics from delivering medically necessary health-care services Commit to equitable and publicly operated and financed hospitals and community health facilities with no disadvantage to those in rural, remote or low income areas Impose a moratorium on private- Change the way services finance, for-profit alternative are delivered to get better financing and procurement (AFP) deal for taxpayers, or “P3” projects in the hospital including competitive sector bidding for support services like food

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS preparation or laundry in public institutions. (14) Request the Auditor General to conduct a full review into the financial details of current AFP deals and make all financial aspects of AFP.P3 contracts fully transparent Ensure that publicly financed and built hospital projects follow evidence-based guidelines for health-care facility design and construction Establish 50 additional nurse Provide same day and 50 new family health-care Support doctors, practitioner-led clinics by 2015 as expanded after-hours clinics that will provide 24/7 nurse practitioners part of commitment to primary access for family health health-care services to 250, and other health care for all Ontarians care. (49) 000 people by 2015. (38) professionals for family/community Re-design Ontario’s care clinics that are primary care and integrated with public homecare system to health. (9) provide every senior with access to doctors, nurses and other health professionals who will provide better services, such as house calls and check-in by telephone and online.(31) Adequately fund age-appropriate $60 million annually to Double the Caregiver Tax Eliminate the waiting list for Ensure that seniors care from home and community allow health-care Credit for those who care long-term care for those receive the care, long-term care and hospital providers to visit seniors for an elderly or critically with complex medical continuum of care care and others who otherwise ill family member. (3) needs. (36) they need where they could not leave their Give seniors supports so want it by improving

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS homes. (49) they can stay in their home. home care, (36) transitional care, Provide a Health Care Fund one million hours of assisted living and Coordinator who will home care over four years long-term care. (9) facilitate care between and eliminate the wait list Create case specialists and family for home care. (36) managers in family doctors, hospitals and the clinics to proactively community to help seniors coordinate the care who’ve been hospitalized seniors need. (9) within the previous 12 months. (31)

Seniors who are at risk of injury or illness will have improved access to Personal Support Workers to provide them with the care they need at home. Provide up to three million hours of additional care for those in need. (31) Increase funding of home care Create a new Family Increase investment in services, including homemaking Caregiver Leave, giving home care, providing and professional services working Ontarians up to families with more control eight weeks of job- over services. (19) protected time away from work to help a family member who can’t care for themselves because of serious injury or illness. (32)

Create a Healthy Home renovation tax credit

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS worth up to $1,500 annually to help seniors live in their own homes. (32)

Work with Ontario’s municipalities to give seniors the option to defer property tax increases for as long as they choose to stay in their home. Any increase in property tax would be deferred until the house is sold. (32) Abandon competitive bidding as a Give home care users the Will conduct a method of allocating funding for choice to stay with comprehensive review of home care and health service provider they have or pick home care policy with a providers a new government funded goal of creating a new and home care provider who publicly owned and better meets their accountable home care individual needs. (19) system that reduces management and administration costs by 20 percent. (37) Advocate for a comprehensive Will work for a new, 10- national home care strategy year Health Accord negotiated among provinces and territories that would focus on health care reforms designed to meet the needs of our growing seniors population. (50)

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS Take a leadership role in Will make “Health costs, advocating expansion of especially drug costs, a Medicare to include a national priority in upcoming pharmacare program negotiations around a new national health accord”. (35) Guarantee hospital and health Will introduce a series of Cut emergency room wait services funding, including patient-centred reforms times by half (32) community and primary care, and that make the patient, not Will work closely with invest in collaborative programs administrators, the focus hospitals to address the that meet community needs and of health care system. underlying causes of reflect inflation and population (17) backlogs and long wait growth “Encourage health-care times. (32) providers like doctors, nurses, nurses practitioners, and physician assistants to work collaboratively, particularly in underserviced areas to meet patients’ needs”. (19) Ensure models of nursing care reflect the best evidence and provide continuity of care and continuity of caregiver from the most appropriate provider Require all hospital consultancy Eliminate the 14 LHINs. Crack down on consulting Open government contracts to be approved by Local (14) and consultant expenses consulting contracts Health Integration Networks and give the Ombudsman up to scrutiny by oversight of hospital and posting all details health spending to ensure online. (13) patients are being respected” (34)

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS Eliminate LHINs and replace them with effective local decision-making. (34) Invest in health services research to improve system effectiveness, health human resources impacts and outcomes, and the use of technology and treatment alternatives to manage costs Ensure equitable access to long- As announced in 2009 Expand long-term care Eliminate wait list for long term care when and where it is Budget, will redevelop with 5,000 new LTC beds term care for those with needed, including a 30-day 35,000 older LTC beds in addition to the 35,000 complex medical needs. guarantee of access to a LTC over the next 10 years to coming on stream in next (36) home or supportive housing ensure equitable access 10 years. (19) to quality LTC homes. (http://www.health.gov.on. ca/english/public/pub/mini stry_annual/annual_rep09 _10/annual_rep09_10.pdf ) Legislate and fund a daily Support all long-term minimum of 4 hours of direct care facilities to nursing and personal care for provide services in LTC home residents, attached to compliance with average acuity provincial standards. (9) Require a daily minimum of 0.5 hours of activation and recreational programs for each LTC home resident Establish by regulation a LTC home staffing model with at least one NP for every 200 residents and 20% RNs, 25% RPNs and

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS 55% personal support workers Fund a registered nurse dedicated to infection control in every LTC home Recognize that physician Relieve the pressure on assistants are not the answer to family doctors and the need to provide high-quality, emergency rooms by client-centred, cost-effective supporting other health health care utilizing all health- professionals, like nurse care professionals to their full practitioners, and the scope creation of innovative health care clinics” .(38)

Develop an integrated and Continue comprehensive Put the patient at the seamless mental health-care approach to mental health centre of health service system and addiction services with focus on kids, delivery, especially for touching the lives of people who have a mental 50,000 young Ontarians. illness who too often get Then focus on prevention, lost in the system. (17) early identification and Crack down on the sale of services for adults.(38) illegal tobacco by increasing border Increase fines on those enforcement, working with who sell tobacco to kids to First Nations to close the highest level in the unauthorized country. Those who manufacturing facilities repeatedly flout the law and increase policy will be prohibited from search and seizure selling tobacco and lottery powers relating to tobacco tickets. Build on our products. (33) contraband strategy to choke off the supply of cheap illegal tobacco sold to our kids by doubling

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS our enforcement efforts. (36) Implement secure funding for professional education in mental health and addictions across all professions

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS D. Improving Access to Nursing Services Commit to increasing “We remain committed to Redirect dollars that have “Ensure dollars are “Support doctors, nurse Ontario’s RN workforce by hiring more new and full- been spent on invested in frontline care”. practitioners and other additional 9,000 FTEs by time nurses”. (31) administration (such as (34) health professionals for 2015 LHINs), “health care family/community care fraud” and “waste” and clinics that are integrated

reinvest in nurses, with public health”. (9) doctors, health care technology and other frontline care. (20)

Fund 350 additional nurse Increase support for nurse practitioner (NP) positions practitioners to relieve in each of the next 4 years pressure on family doctors and emergency rooms (38).

Commit to achieve 70% full-time employment for all nurses in all health-care sectors by 2015

Equalize remuneration and working conditions for RNs working in the hospital, primary care/family practice, home care, public health and long-term care sectors

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS Strengthen the Occupational Health and Safety Act to adopt an inclusive and evidence- based definition of workplace violence such as the one incorporated in RNAO’s Best Practice Guidelines Whistleblower legislation to protect those who report incidents or potential incidents of violence in the workplace Equalize power bases that contribute to workplace violence, including transforming Medical Advisory Committees into inter-professional advisory committees Support continued full Increase support for other integration of nurse professions, like nurse practitioners by amending practitioners to relieve legislation, regulations and pressure on family policies to allow NPs to use doctors and emergency their full knowledge, skills rooms. (38) and experience to practice to their full scope Provide base funding for expanded practice nurses such as nurse

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS endoscopists Support Clinical Nurse Specialists and new and emerging roles for nurses Invest in an additional 25 Registered Nurse First Assists per year Maximize the use of RNs Increase support for other knowledge, skills and professions, like nurse experience by authorizing practitioners to relieve them to practice to full pressure on family scope, including doctors and emergency prescribing, selling and rooms (38) compounding drugs, communicating a diagnosis, ordering simple x-rays, and setting or casting simple bone fractures or joint dislocations Develop a health human “Encourage health-care Forgive debt of new resources strategy for rural, providers like doctors, doctors practising in remote and northern nurses, nurses under-serviced communities practitioners, and communities. (38) physician assistants to work collaboratively, particularly in underserviced areas to meet patients’ needs”. (19) Expand the 1:1 tuition reimbursement to new nursing graduates who

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS choose to relocate to northern, rural and underserviced communities to include RN and RPN graduates from all regions of the province

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS E. Building a Nursing Career in Ontario Reject international recruitment of nurses as a health human resources strategy

Ensure nurses and other health Reduce barriers for professionals who voluntarily and potential new Canadians, without pressure choose to make particularly those who Ontario their new home face no settle in small towns. systemic barriers to practice Improve transparency of foreign credential recognition. (12) Permanent funding for existing Tax credit for employers upgrading and bridging programs who sponsor language for nurses who make Ontario training. (12) their new home Increase funding of first-year Create 60,000 more Create up to 60,000 post- nursing programs to enable 500 post-secondary secondary spaces in admissions spaces (including. Ontario. (22) nursing) in addition to the 200,000 new spaces already created. (20) Fund universities to increase PhD entries by 10/yr and Masters by 100/yr Endowment for 3-year doctoral fellowships for nurses, for 15

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS applicants/year

Fund to graduate 350 nurse Increase support for other practitioners/yr professions, like nurse practitioners to relieve pressure on family doctors and emergency rooms.(38) More generous loans and 30 per cent across- Raise the threshold on scholarships to make nursing the-board, financial support to make education accessible to all postsecondary college and university qualified Ontarians undergraduate tuition education more grant. That means – accessible for middle- every year – the class families. (22) families of five out of six students will save $1,600 per student in university and $730 per student in college.(46) Increase Nursing Education Initiative (NEI) by $500 for total $2,000/nurse/yr Continued funding of Nursing Graduate Guarantee for all sectors and regions Mid-career nursing strategy to retain mid-career nurses Expand Late Career Nurse (80/20) Initiative to all nurses over 55 in all sectors and regions

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS F. Embracing Our Democracy, Strengthening Our Public Services Ensure fiscal capacity to deliver Return Ontario to a Lower personal income “We will save nearly $400 Lower income taxes on essential services by building balanced budget by 2017- tax by 5% on first million annually by cutting families and local progressive tax system and 18. (54) $70,000 taxable income. high-priced consultants, businesses to stimulate revenue sources that (3) capping public sector job creation. (5) encourage environmental and Build on the Reduce corporate tax CEO salaries, and social responsibility work of the Drummond rate from 11.5% to 10% conducting an expenditure Delay additional tax cuts Commission to continue to by 2013. (9) review”. (46) for large corporations reform public services Balance budget no later Stop cutbacks to until after budget is without sacrificing health than 2017-2018. (12) corporations with no balanced in 2015 (14) care or education and Cut government spending strings attached. (23) Balance budget by 2015. without leading to higher every year by 2% except Reward companies that (5) taxes. (55) in priority public services create jobs or invest in of health and education staff training with tax Budget for growth in Reject cross-the-board cuts. that will grow. Reductions credits. (24) health care, hold other Will reduce the size of the in the size of the Reduce small business program spending at Ontario Public Service by bureaucracy will mostly tax. (25) 2010-2011 levels. (14) an additional 1,500 be achieved by not filling Make a “Buy Ontario” law employees by 2014, Find vacant positions. Vital so that government $200 million in savings at frontline positions in spending goes to Ontario major agencies by 2014. health, education and producers. (25) (55-56) public safety will be Take the HST off hydro, protected. (13) home heating and Reduce the regulatory gasoline. (12) burden by at least 30%, End waste and lower esp, for small business electricity prices by and farmers. (8) merging hydro agencies and capping their CEO’s pay. (17) Expand support for energy saving home

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS retrofits and make Reduce red tape for small environmental choices and medium-sized more affordable. (18) businesses so they continue to create jobs. (5)

Re Reject fire sale of publicly Eliminate the 14 Local owned Crown Corporations Health Integration Networks (LHINs). (14) * Close the Ontario Power Authority (OPA). (5) Government assets and property will be evaluated. (13)

Phase in environmental levies, Eliminate eco taxes on Make polluters Revenue neutral [carbon] such as carbon tax to achieve everyday items (light responsible for their tax on waste, pollution environmental objectives and bulbs, batteries, laptop). emissions. Ontario would and carbon emissions to support essential services (3) join the Western Climate reward efficient use of Initiative so firms could resources. (5) trade into a continental

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RNAO Position LIBERAL PLATFORM PC PLATFORM NDP PLATFORM GREEN PLATFORM COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS cap and trade plan. Revenues from cap and trade would be reinvested in reducing carbon emissions. (Env 12)

Stop negotiation of trade deals that are not transparent, open to public consultation, protect health care and other programs, and do not restrict ability of government to regulate in public interest Reject trade deal with European Union and restricts Canada’s right to keep public control of vital services Put ratification of Ontario- Quebec Trade and Cooperation Agreement on hold pending full public consultation Oppose pan-Canadian Agreement on Internal Trade that would further deregulate and threaten public services

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1 Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (2010). Creating Vibrant Communities: RNAO’s Challenge to Ontario’s Political Parties. http://www.rnao.org/Page.asp?PageID=924&ContentID=3176 2 Ontario Liberal Party. (2011). Forward Together: The Ontario Liberal Plan 2011-2015. Author. http://www.ontarioliberal.ca/OurPlan/pdf/platform_english.pdf.. 3 Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. (2011) changebook. Author: http://www.ontariopc.com/changebook/. 4 Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. (2011), changebook NORTH. Author. http://www.ontariopc.com/changebook-north/. 5 Ontario New Democratic Party. (2011). Change that Puts People First: Ontario’s New Democrats Plan for Affordable Change. Author. http://ontariondp.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/NDP-Platform-2011-OUTLINE-small.pdf. 6 Ontario New Democratic Party (2011). Affordable Green Choices. Author. http://ontariondp.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/NDP- EnvironmentalPlatform-2011.pdf. (Env) 7 Ontario New Democratic Party. (2011). Affordable Housing and Anti-Poverty Plan. Author. http://ontariondp.com/en/ontario-new-democrats- release-affordable-housing-and-anti-poverty-plan#. 8 Green Party of Ontario. (2011). It’s Time: A Five-Point Plan for Ontario’s Future. Author: http://gpo.ca/sites/gpo.ca/files/gpo_platform_2011.pdf. 9 Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (2005). Primary Prevention of Childhood Obesity. Toronto: Author. http://www.rnao.org/Storage/12/620_BPG_childhood_obesity.pdf

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