Throne Speech turns Liberal Election Platform into Government Agenda

The full text of the speech can be found here. 

While scarce on details, the throne speech outlined the major themes and key priorities of the government heading into the 44th Parliament. Nearly all of the policy direction in the speech comes straight from the Liberals’ recent election platform, with no new programs or surprise announcements. 

Priorities outlined in the throne speech include:

Reconciliation 

• • • • Appointment of a Special Interlocutor to advance justice on residential schools 
      • A national monument to honour residential school survivors 
      • New investments in distinctions-based mental health and wellness for Indigenous families 
      • Funding for Indigenous communities to prevent family separation 
      • Compensation for those harmed by the First Nations Child and Family Services program 

Climate Change 

• • • • Establishing a cap to cut oil and gas sector emissions 
      • Accelerating the path to a 100 percent net-zero electric grid 
      • Investing in public transit 
      • Mandating the sale of zero emissions vehicles 
      • Increasing the price on pollution 
      • Developing Canada’s first National Adaptation Strategy 

Covid-19 & Health  

• • • • Winding down large-scale pandemic supports in favour of more targeted financial supports 
      • New investments in mental health, prioritized with the same attention as physical well-being 
      • Securing next-generation COVID-19 vaccines, boosters, and doses for children ages 5-11 
      • Ensuring fair and equitable access to vaccines and other resources around the world  

Economy & Affordability  

• • • • Increasing Canada Child Benefit amount to keep up with inflation 
      • Working with the two provinces and two territories who have yet to sign $10/day child care agreements 
      • Creating a Housing Accelerator Fund to work support municipalities as they build additional affordable housing 
      • Introducing a First-Time Home Buyer’s Incentive, a new Rent-to-Own program, and measures targeted at reducing closing costs 
      • Increasing immigration and reducing wait times  

Diversity & Inclusion  

• • • • Establishing a 10-year National Action Plan on gender-based violence and continued support for organizations providing critical services 
      • Renewing the Anti-Racism Strategy 
      • Completing the ban on conversion therapy 

Foreign Policy & Trade 

• • • • Focusing on building trade relations in the Indo-Pacific and Arctic regions 
      • Increasing Canada’s foreign assistance budget annually 
      • Preserving and expanding open, rules-based trade and ensuring supply chain resiliency. 

 The speech also included a commitment to reintroduce legislation to reform the Broadcasting Act “to ensure web giants pay their fair share for the creation and promotion of Canadian content.” 

Today’s Speech from the Throne formally translated the Liberals’ election platform into a governing agenda, with no indication that the new minority government will be making any change in direction.  

The passage of the throne speech is a confidence vote. The Conservative opposition can be expected to vote against the speech, given the inclusion of familiar wedge issues like conversion therapy and gun control legislation. There is enough in the speech on the progressive side of the ledger – especially with respect to climate change and cost of living – to expect that the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois will support the speech, ensuring its passage and setting in motion a dynamic that will continue over the life of this parliament. 

In the coming weeks, we are expecting to see the release of the Ministers’ mandate letters. These documents will provide a more detailed blueprint for each ministry’s policy agenda, which will be essential for informing your advocacy plan.