The New Democrats have used their agreement with the Liberal government as leverage to push for more ways to save Canadians money in the next federal budget, leader Jagmeet Singh says.

When the budget is released later this month, Singh says he expects to see more dollars to expanddental coverage to teens, seniors and people living with a disability, which was part of the NDPB次元官网网址檚 confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberals.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the big one. We want to see the commitment to the dollars necessary for it to roll out to that national program,B次元官网网址� Singh said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

He said he also wants to see the government extend the six-month boost to the GST rebate, introduced last fall, which temporarily doubled the amount people received.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 something that weB次元官网网址檙e going to use our power on,B次元官网网址� Singh said, noting he has raised the topic with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not in our agreement, but the agreement gives us the leverage to push for things like that.B次元官网网址�

The Liberals plan to release the next federal budget on March 28.

The Opposition Conservatives have said they want to see lower taxes, a cap on spending and a pledge to improve housing availability by freeing up land and speeding up building permits.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e proposing to increase the pain,B次元官网网址� Singh said of the ToriesB次元官网网址� priorities. B次元官网网址淧eople are already going through pain. TheyB次元官网网址檙e already feeling squeezed and hurt. And theyB次元官网网址檙e saying, B次元官网网址楥ut things to make it even harder on people.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Singh said the NDPB次元官网网址檚 budget priority is to help Canadians find ways to save money through rebates or other cost-of-living initiatives, without contributing to inflation.

B次元官网网址淔ederal funding for school lunches is something that can help kids and families with the pressure of the costs of living and the cost of food,B次元官网网址� Singh said.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 some signals Liberals were open to it B次元官网网址� but we want to see if we can continue to apply pressure to make it happen.B次元官网网址�

In November, the Liberal government opened up roundtable talks with teachers, parents, children and youth regarding a national school food policy, citing a 2018 World Health Organization survey that found one in five children in Canada were at risk of going to school hungry on any given day.

Other budget priorities for the NDP include reforming employment insurance and creating more affordable housing spaces.

The party has agreed to support the minority government in key votes, including the budget, until 2025 in exchange for movement on shared priorities.

Singh said heB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渃onfidentB次元官网网址� the Liberal government will fulfill its promises in the upcoming budget.

Canadians can also expect to see a pharmacare bill this year, as stipulated by the agreement, Singh said.

But he said it is unlikely this yearB次元官网网址檚 budget will include any funding for prescriptions.

The bill would focus on creating a national framework for an eventual pharmacare program, similar to how the Canada Health Act sets up the administration of public health care, he said.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland recently stressed that the government is embracing fiscal restraint to avoid pouring fuel on the flames of inflation.

Even so, the budget is expected to include fresh measures to support CanadaB次元官网网址檚 move to a greener economy and compete with the United States on clean technology.

The document is also expected to account for billions in new spending on health care that will flow through bilateral deals with the provinces.

B次元官网网址擬ickey Djuric, The Canadian Press