Adam Prudhomme
Editor
A commitment to create one million jobs and an extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy were some of the promises offered during Wednesday’s Speech from the Throne in Ottawa.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Governor General Julie Payette outlined some of the Liberal government’s agenda as they opened the second session of the 43rd Parliament.
On the topic of jobs the government said it would invest in the social sector and infrastructure while offering training and incentives for employers to hire and retain workers. Payette also said the wage subsidy, which was originally scheduled to cease at the end of 2020, would continue through July of 2021.
The speech also outlined a plan to invest in a Canada-wide early learning and childcare system, which in turn will allow more women to get into the workforce.
Hastings-Lennox and Addington MP Derek Sloan, a member of the official opposition Conservative Party of Canada, issued an official response shortly after the speech concluded.
“The pandemic and economic crises’ that our nation faces together requires strong leadership,” Sloan wrote in a statement. “There were high expectations that the Speech from the Throne would address serious issues that we are facing. The Speech from the Throne was very broad in its reach and touched on many issues that I have been personally advocating for months: among them securing supply chains for PPE in Canada, a tougher stand on China, and to approve new, innovative testing techniques that have already been approved in other developed countries. Without access to the variety of COVID testing options available across the world, it is much more difficult to create a trustworthy plan to open economies-the only true solution to helping our battered economy. My question is-why the delay?”
Sloan also commented on the Liberals plan to create new jobs.
“With the additional promise to create one million jobs, and to create a national childcare and pharmacare program, along with many other items, this signals government intervention on a massive scale, along with adding hundreds of billions of dollars more to our debt and deficit levels.”
Sloan also added he was “personally disappointed to see the Liberals promise to further target legal gun owners, while doing nothing to target the criminals who commit gun crimes across Canadian communities (with illegal guns).”
Sloan’s criticisms were in line with his Conservative party, which stated it would vote down the speech. If the New Democrats and Bloc Quebec do the same, it would mean the start of a general election. No date on a vote on the speech has been set as of yet. Early indications are the NDP would be open to voting in favour of the speech, but NDP leader Jagmeet Singh says he’d have to discuss with his party before making a final decision.