Throne Speech Launches Trudeau Era

“There is nothing in there as a signal to the private sector about what the plan for the economy is”, Ambrose said, adding there was also no mention of what the government will do to support the faltering energy sector in Western Canada.

Canada’s Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outlined Friday his priorities for the upcoming parliamentary session, including lifting indigenous communities out of poverty, cutting carbon emissions and legalizing marijuana.

One of the top priorities of Canada’s recently elected government will be pursuing the legalization of marijuana, the country’s prime minister said Friday in an address before parliament.

Benson said she welcomed several throne speech promises, such as strengthening employment insurance, working with provinces to improve the Canada Pension Plan, reaching a new health accord and an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

The speech also expanded on five themes that were central to the Liberals’ election victory, which ended the near-decade-long Conservation Party’s reign.

Trudeau pledged “greater openness and transparency in government”, Senate reform and to consult on election law changes to end the so-called first-past-the-post electoral system.

The speech said the government would create a new “nation-to-nation relationship” with indigenous peoples.

It also promised to introduce a new environmental assessment process.

The speech underscored his plan to “get handguns and assault weapons off our streets” and to “legalize, regulate and restrict access to marijuana”.

The speech stuck largely to the Liberals’ campaign platform, but offered some identification of the Liberals’ gameplan with what was, and wasn’t, mentioned.

Brison will be overseeing the open government initiatives. After a section reiterating promises to reform Parliament and strengthen House of Commons committees, the speech said: “Also noticeable are the things the government will not do: it will not use government ads for partisan purposes; it will not interfere with the work of parliamentary officers [such as the Parliamentary Budget Officer] and it will not resort to devices like prorogation and omnibus bills to avoid scrutiny”.

Conservatives: Interim leader Rona Ambrose said the Throne Speech represents a move toward big government and lacks an economic focus.

“The trust Canadians have in public institutions – including Parliament – has, at times, been compromised”, Mr. Johnston said.

“Today the Trudeau government is making a commitment with First Nations to establish a genuine nation-to-nation relationship, based on the recognition of our rights and the fair participation of our Nations in developing the resources of the land”.

“I have every confidence in this ambitious plan to bring real change to Canada”.

Trudeau intends to quickly honour his pledge to cut the tax rate for middle-income earners, and to partly redress the socially destructive income gap by providing a bigger, more progressive child benefit to those who need it, funded by hiking taxes on the wealthiest.