Throne Speech September 23, 2020
Can't help but feel a little disappointed after reading the highlights of the throne speech. It was nice to hear about a new disability benefit modelled on guaranteed income supplement (GIS) for seniors. Perhaps that will help AISH recipients in Alberta who are struggling under oppression and cutbacks from the Alberta government. Really this should include those on income support as well. From my calculations food went up about 7% since the start of the pandemic and Premier Jason Kenney said he would be cutting back on the money and benefits these people get by 20% over the four years of his term.
Trudeau has always been big on promises. Just because it's been reported that he is "eyeing a new disability benefit" doesn't mean it will happen. He's been "eyeing" climate change strategies since 2015 and not much as happened. I didn't hear any mention about a green recovery in his throne speech. I was a little distracted through some of it. However, an article published two days ago on the CBC website, was an interview with Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. He claimed he was working on something. Actually, I guess he said he was working on an "ambitious" climate plan — just as the Liberals promised during last year's election.
Guess we won't wait for that...
For me, I guess I was expecting too much. You'd think I would know better by now.
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Update:
Reading an article in the Huffington Post, it says Governor General Julie Payette addressed climate change:
“Climate action will be a cornerstone of our plan to support and create a million jobs across the country. This is where the world is going. Global consumers and investors are demanding and rewarding climate action.”
I still think this sounds vauge...
Throne Speech full of big, vague promises – but will it deliver?
In an email today, Christina Warner Director of Campaigns and Organizing for the Council of Canadians thought the throne speech was vague. Guess that mean I'm not the only one.
"As I watched the Throne Speech this afternoon, I wondered which direction the government would take. Will the coming months bring more privatization and underfunding of public services, or will we see a new era of public investment? Will corporate insiders drive the agenda, or will this government listen to the people and be transparent and publicly accountable?
"The Throne Speech was short on details. You and I need to demand the concrete changes needed to ensure a just recovery for all, address the crisis of racism and police violence against Black, Indigenous and people of colour communities, and rise to the challenge of the climate crisis."
She did a nice job of reviewing what talked about including the government "pledging additional investments to meet their commitment to lift all long-term drinking water advisories by 2021 – a commitment that had seemed unlikely."
Speech from the Throne
The Speech from the Throne opens every new session of Parliament. The Speech introduces the government’s direction and goals, and outlines how it will work to achieve them.
On September 23, 2020, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, delivered the Speech from the Throne to open the second session of the 43rd Parliament and outline the government’s agenda.
The government’s approach to the crisis will have four “foundations,” the speech said:
- Fighting the pandemic and saving lives;
- Supporting people and businesses through the emergency “as long as it lasts, whatever it takes”;
- “Building back better” by creating jobs and strengthening the middle class;
- Standing up for Canadian values, including progress on reconciliation, gender equality, and systemic racism.
He touched on reconciliation but didn't go far enough. There wasn't any information about defunding the police. He said, "Progress must also be made throughout the policing and justice systems. All Canadians must have the confidence that the justice system is there to protect them, not to harm them.