NDP leader Jagmeet Singh makes Windsor stop

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh took a tour of the campus dental program at St. Clair College in Windsor, Ont., on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. (Taylor Choma/CTV News Windsor)

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is in Windsor-Essex on Tuesday discussing dental care for children under 18, seniors and people living with a disability.

In the morning, Singh met with Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens and Windsor West MP Brian Masse.

They discussed the Ojibway National Park and disaster relief mitigation, along with discussion about battery plant economic development being so close to the American border.

The next stop was a tour of the campus dental program at St. Clair College.

In the afternoon, Singh will speak to media about delivering dental care for families in Windsor-Essex, where he said the expansion will save families, on average, $1,200 a year. He told reporters the Canadian Dental Benefit will provide care to up to 11 million Canadians.

Following his media availability, Singh will visited the picket line at Windsor Salt where 250 unionized employees have been on strike since mid-February. Contracting out and job security remain key issues.

For a second time, the NDP is using the strike to bring up anti-scab legislation. Even though there is nothing to suggest Windsor Salt is using replacement workers.

"We're going to ban replacement workers at the federal level. We're hoping that this can start a whole wave across the country at the provincial level as well,” Singh said. “We know that when an employee withdraws worker and the employer brings in replacement workers or scabs, it undermines the power of workers. It undermines the whole purpose of the strike.”