Canada’s Liberal government, unveiling its plans at the start of the new Parliament, promised on Friday to pursue a fiscal plan “that is responsible, transparent and suited to challenging economic times”.
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That diversity was on display as Trudeau and Johnston and their entourage made their way to the Senate chamber, where Johnston read the speech.
In today’s speech from the throne, delivered by Gov. Gen. David Johnston, the government says it hopes to forge a new “nation-to-nation” relationship with the country’s First Nations, Metis and Inuit. The Liberals, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, won a majority mandate in national elections in October on a platform that promised new…
That, plus, as Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose noted, no mention of the threat posed by ISIS, but a veiled reference to creating a “leaner” military, although there will be more money for the CBC. In particular, he promised Friday to move ahead on adopting the 94 recommendations of a commission that examined the effects of a long-standing policy that forced aboriginal children into government-funded boarding schools, a system it called “cultural genocide”.
He speaks of his new government as if the Liberals have some giant bag of money somewhere that they earned through their own hard work, sweat and entrepreneurship, that they will now generously dispense to Canadians of their choosing.
“If they can’t even name the threat, how are they ready to deal with the threat?” she said.
There will be a vote in the House on the throne speech which is considered to be one of confidence.
Partisan government advertising will end, as will the Conservative practice of presenting massive budget and other bills that contain so many elements, Canadians are often unaware of what is being passed before it’s approve. There is a huge void when it comes to talking about the role of the private sector. “None of that is mentioned in the Speech From the Throne, so we are very concerned about that”, she said. “It is just about government, big government”.
Trudeau also pledged to purse better relations with Canada’s Indigenous First Nations.
Under the Liberal government, more investments will be made in public transit, green infrastructure and social infrastructure as well. “We will work with the provinces and territories to make post-secondary education more affordable, begin to develop a new Health Accord, and enhance the Canada Pension Plan”.
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It also promised to introduce a new environmental assessment process. Marijuana use for medical or industrial purposes is legal in Canada with government issued license.
