Providing COVID-19 support and taking action on climate is on the government’s priority list
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Canadians now have an idea of what the federal government will prioritize during this session of Parliament.
Governor General Mary Simon read the throne speech Tuesday to outline the course of action Prime Minister Trudeau and his Liberal government plan to take.
Not only do Canadians “want Parliamentarians to work together to put this pandemic behind us, they also want bold, concrete solutions to meet the other challenges we face,” Simon said Tuesday afternoon.
The first priority for the government is to get the pandemic under control.
“The best way to do that is vaccination,” Simon said during the speech.
Additional health plans include improving public health support for all Canadians and “improving data collection across health systems to inform future decisions and get the best possible results,” Simon said.
The Trudeau government will also continue to provide COVID-19 supports for families and businesses while addressing the cost of living.
The government’s priorities to manage inflation are housing and child care.
For housing, the government’s Housing Accelerator Fund is designed to help municipalities build more homes. The Liberals will also put forward a “more flexible First-Time Home Buyer’s Incentive, a new Rent-to-Own program, and by reducing the closing costs for first-time buyers.”
And on the child care front, the government will continue to implement its $10 per day child care agreements with the provinces and territories.
Other throne speech highlights include:
Climate Change
- Taking bold action by “moving to cap and cut oil and gas sector emissions, while accelerating our path to a 100 per cent net-zero electricity future.
- Investing in public transit and mandating the sale of zero emissions vehicles.
- Increasing the price on pollution “while putting more money back in Canadians’ pockets.”
- Creating the Canada Water Agency to protect water and support farmers.
Safer Communities
- Implementing a mandatory buyback of banned assault-style weapons.
- Moving forward with a 10-year National Action Plan on gender-based violence.
- Developing a renewed Anti-Racism Strategy.
Diversity and Inclusion
- Reform the criminal justice system and policing.
- Invest in the empowerment of Black and racialized Canadians, and Indigenous Peoples.
- Implement legislation on conversion therapy.
- Introduce legislation to strengthen language laws.
- Reintroduce legislation to reform broadcasting laws.
Reconciliation
- Create a national monument to honour residential school survivors.
- Appoint someone to further advance justice on residential schools.
- Invest in mental health and wellness strategies guided by the Indigenous community.
- Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People.
Governor General Mary Simon begins reading the throne speech around the 1:14:00 mark of the video.