Newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney has outlined the priorities for his minority government, promising to cut the GST on new homes selling at or below $1 million, and to reduce the tax on homes priced between $1 and $1.25 million. He also vows to maintain the dental care, pharmacare, and $10-a-day child care programs.

Carney announced the addition of a “middle-class” tax cut to be implemented by Canada Day, which he says will save two-income families up to $825 a year.

He emphasized that tax measures alone won’t address housing affordability, which is why his government will push for the construction of new homes.

Carney stated his government will address failures in the housing market “head on” by “unleashing the power of public-private cooperation at a scale not seen in generations.”

He also addressed public safety concerns, pledging to build a stronger Canadian Armed Forces to protect Canadians, defend sovereignty, and support allies. Carney promised to strengthen border security with “a thousand more CBSA officers as well as scores of dog teams, drones, and scanners to fight the traffic of guns and drugs.”

He announced the federal government’s intention to hire another thousand RCMP officers and to give law enforcement more tools to fight crime. Carney said his government will also toughen the Criminal Code and bail laws for those threatening the safety of Canadians, including making bail harder to obtain for those charged with stealing cars, home invasion, human trafficking, and smuggling.