Grits, NDP up the platform ante

Plus: Gravelle is out, Roger Stone is in

ABOVE THE FOLD

AND THEY’RE OFF — The NDP unofficially kicked off campaign season by dropping a platform centred on big health care and pocketbook-related spending.

The highlights:

— A tax freeze for low- and middle-income earners. The cut-off hasn’t been finalized, but it would be around $200,000 annually, and could see higher taxes for upper earners.

— “Accelerated” pharmacare and dental care, something the NDP pledged in 2018, which would cover at least 125 medications, including birth control — but there’s no timeline specifics.

— Boosting hospital operating funding by 3.5 per cent, at a cost of $735 million.

— Hiring 10,000 personal support workers, 30,000 nurses, 400 doctors, 20,000 teachers and education workers and expediting foreign-trained credential recognition for 15,000 nurses.

— On housing: The NDP would revive rent control and build 100,000 social housing units, to the tune of $493 million annually, as well as 60,000 supportive housing units for $100 million.

The party is …