(Ottawa) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will set out the program for his third Liberal term in a Speech from the Throne today.
The Speech from the Throne is expected to be short and unsurprising, and to echo the themes set out in the Liberal platform during the recent election campaign, which produced a second consecutive Liberal minority.
The most innovative aspect of the speech may well be who will deliver it: Mary Simon, the first Indigenous person to serve as Governor General of Canada.
Mme Simon, an Inuit from Kuujjuaq, located in northeastern Quebec, will read the speech in the Senate Chamber to an audience of dignitaries, Senators and a handful of MPs – a much smaller crowd than usual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The speech is expected to outline the mandate given to Parliament by Canadians in the last election: to end COVID-19 and to rebuild a more resilient, fairer and greener economy.
The speech will also reiterate what the government sees as the main pillars of economic growth, including affordable housing, more aggressive climate change measures and the conclusion of negotiations with recalcitrant provinces on a national $ 10 child care system. per day.
The speech is also expected to reiterate the government’s commitments to make the country safer, more inclusive and to pursue reconciliation with Indigenous people.
Speeches from the Throne rarely provide much detail and this one should be no different. A more detailed plan will appear later in the letters that Mr. Trudeau will send to each of his ministers giving them specific orders.
The legislative program promises to be very busy and will start on Wednesday.
It is also clear that the Liberals intend this time to move quickly on their priorities, despite their minority status which makes them dependent on opposition parties to pass laws and survive confidence votes.
Before the holiday break on December 17, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Mark Holland, wants to pass four priority bills:
- A renewed bill to criminalize forcing anyone to undergo so-called “conversion therapy” to change their sexual orientation or gender identity.
- A bill to criminalize harassment or intimidation of healthcare workers.
- A bill to implement the promised and more targeted aid programs for those hardest hit by the pandemic, while ending previous emergency benefits.
- A bill to grant 10 days of paid sick leave to federally regulated workers.