The NDP Bonita Zarrillo Member of Parliament for Port Moody—Coquitlam, Talking Federal Policies and Chalenges

Bonita Zarrillo, MP for Port Moody-Coquitlam, spoke with Nancy Furness on We’ve Got Issues about the transition from municipal to federal government and how it allows her to continue important work on environmental and housing issues. Despite the NDP holding just 24 out of 235 seats in Parliament, Zarrillo believes that focus and collaboration have enabled progress on key party priorities, including dental care and pharmacare.

As the NDP Critic for Infrastructure and Communities, Zarrillo highlights the need for more transparency in how funds are allocated to Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. She emphasizes that this would improve planning and ensure that resources are distributed equitably. Zarrillo also praises the strong Indigenous representation in the NDP caucus. One example is MP Leah Gazan's "Red Dress Alert," which aims to notify the public when an Indigenous woman, girl, or Two-Spirit person goes missing.

Zarrillo believes there’s a significant gap in protections for equity-seeking groups. She criticizes the fact that elected officials are often left to monitor their behaviour, which can lead to public unrest or even the targeting of colleagues on social media. To counteract this, Zarrillo advocates for fostering community connections and a focus on unity. One of her goals is to promote equality and equity, especially for women. She has called out the Conservative Party as "dangerous to women" for attempting to infringe on women's Charter rights, particularly regarding reproductive health care and abortion access.

Through her involvement in the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development, and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, Zarrillo works on policy recommendations related to data collection and addressing labour shortages in the care economy. She’s also critical of the federal Liberal government’s purchase of the TransMountain Pipeline, which runs through Coquitlam. Initially purchased for $4.7 billion, its cost has now ballooned to over $30 billion, a sum that Zarrillo argues could have been better spent on health care, research, and transitioning to green energy.

Zarrillo is proud of the NDP's success in pushing the Liberal government to advance public programs like dental care, pharmacare, childcare, and improved working conditions. On disability issues, she continues to advocate for expanded benefits and making cities more accessible for all Canadians.