Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is in Northern B.C. this week to meet residents and community leaders to hear their top concerns on federal issues.

Skeena-Bulkley Valley NDP MP Nathan Cullen led the four-day partial tour of his riding through several communities deeply affected by a clampdown on the salmon fisheries, and U.S. tariffs on aluminum.

The town of Kitimat is home to one of the largest manufacturing complexes in the province, the Rio TintoB次元官网网址檚 aluminum smelter.

Singh and Cullen held a press scrum in Terrace Wednesday morning. Here are the highlights:

On fisheries

Following historic low salmon returns, Fisheries and Oceans Canada shut down all recreational salmon fishing in northern tidal and freshwater fisheries. Then on May 30, DFO allowed for limited marine sports chinook fisheries with a precautionary 25-30 per cent reduction in exploitation rates.

Singh said there needs to be a plan in place that works towards bringing salmon stocks back up to where they used to be, something that he says is lacking in the DFOB次元官网网址檚 current approach.

B次元官网网址淭hese rivers can sustain significant abundance and itB次元官网网址檚 not enough to just divvy up an ever decreasing pie, thatB次元官网网址檚 not going to get us back to the position where we need to be.B次元官网网址�

He said he would like to see more of a focus on smaller, local fishing communities to create opportunities instead of looking to commercial and mass industry fishing, particularly when it comes to off-shore foreign fisheries.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 where we arenB次元官网网址檛 doing enough to clamp down and measure what those sectors are taking. The focus has only been on small community fishing, which in comparison [has] very small numbers compared to what the off-shore commercial mass industry fishing is doing. I think thatB次元官网网址檚 where we need to start focusing our attention.B次元官网网址�

On healthcare

Speaking to an audience at a Terrace fundraiser last night in Terrace, Singh said he is committed to investing in CanadaB次元官网网址檚 public health system and believes more work needs to be done to expand its services.

B次元官网网址淎nd thatB次元官网网址檚 why I believe in universal pharmacare, thatB次元官网网址檚 the next step,B次元官网网址� he said to an applause from the crowd. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e the only country in the world that has universal public healthcare but doesnB次元官网网址檛 have a form of universal pharmacare. We know that itB次元官网网址檚 a cost, but itB次元官网网址檚 an investment. There are millions of Canadians who canB次元官网网址檛 access medication when they need it.B次元官网网址�

Singh pointed to a from the University of B.C. that said millions of Canadians are opting to skip dosages or not take their medication as prescribed because they canB次元官网网址檛 afford it.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why its so important for us to defend it, to make sure that we invest in it to make sure that its there for us when we need it, and thatB次元官网网址檚 not the case right now.B次元官网网址�

On Greyhound

Earlier this week Greyhound Canada announced it would be ending its passenger bus and freight routes in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, cancelling all but one route in B.C.

Singh told reporters he sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the morning of July 11 requesting that the federal government provide funding to keep transportation between communities accessible.

B次元官网网址淔or some people, itB次元官网网址檚 the only way to get around. WeB次元官网网址檝e already seen the impacts of the Highway of Tears, the problems around hitchhiking and not having access to ways to get around the communityB次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 a safety issue. ItB次元官网网址檚 a public safety issue,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why IB次元官网网址檝e called on the Prime Minister to step in and provide federal funding to keep this transportation going because itB次元官网网址檚 so important for people.B次元官网网址�

On the national inquiry extension

Last month, the federal government announced the national inquiry for murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls would get a six-month extension to complete their work, instead of an the two years requested by inquiry officials.

Singh said he believes the government needs to start taking active steps forward in the interest of reconciliation.

B次元官网网址淲hether its to ensure that weB次元官网网址檝e got an inquiry that actually does justice, the fact that there are so many missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls, the fact that there is still a stark difference in terms of access to resources like clean drinking water, education and childcare servicesB次元官网网址� thereB次元官网网址檚 so much more that needs to be done,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址漌eB次元官网网址檙e not seeing concrete actions from this government, weB次元官网网址檙e seeing some words that are reassuring but thatB次元官网网址檚 not enough. We need to see some concrete steps.B次元官网网址�

On steel and aluminum tariffs

The federal government announced last month a list of retaliatory tariffs placed on American goods in response to U.S. President Donald TrumpB次元官网网址檚 imposed 25 per cent and 10 per cent tariffs placed on Canadian steel and aluminum.

Singh said he told the Prime Minister a month ago that the NDP is supportive of the federal governmentB次元官网网址檚 push-back response, but believes more work needs to be done to support workers affected by the U.S. tariffs. As an example, he cited QuebecB次元官网网址檚 decision to offer $100 million in loan guarantees to support the aluminum industry based in that province.

B次元官网网址淲e need to have the federal government sit down with those impacted industry workers to make sure we have a package in place to make sure workers are protected if there is an impact to their jobs.B次元官网网址�

Over the long term, Singh recognized that tariffs are a B次元官网网址渞eal problemB次元官网网址� that will potentially have some serious impacts on both sides of the border.