BAC Members:
Yesterday the Governor General delivered the Speech from the Throne, kicking off the Forty-Fourth session of Parliament.
As expected, the main themes were related to ending the pandemic, child care, housing, climate change, reconciliation, and public safety. There are no new commitments included, as most of the stated priorities were either announced during the 2021 Federal Election campaign, or prior to it.
While the September 2019 Speech focused heavily on the Liberal Government’s green agenda, this one is more focused on COVID-19 and social support programs, with a nod to addressing inflation. Although many of the priorities highlighted are those well aligned with the Opposition, there are some notable items missing, such as a reference to a national pharmacare program, a priority of the NDP for a number of years now.
The Speech did not make any mention of labour, or the severe shortages being faced by the agri-food sector. On immigration, the Government committed to much of the same from its 2021 Election platform, notably increasing immigration levels and reducing wait times, while supporting family reunification.
Earlier this week, Liberal House Leader Mark Holland outlined four pieces of legislation the Government will seek to pass prior to the Christmas Break, including 10 days of paid sick leave for federal employees; further COVID-19 support benefits; a bill to protect healthcare workers from harassment; and a bill to ban conversion therapy, which has served as a particular sticking point for the Conservatives