Roundup: Nothing unexpected in the Speech from the Throne

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In amidst all of the pomp and ceremony, there was very little that was unexpected out of yesterday’s Speech from the Throne, where Governor General Mary May Simon read the government’s planned agenda, talking about the fact that the pandemic is not yet over, and making high-level promises around climate action, reconciliation, and a nod to the rising cost of living. In a little over half an hour, it was over, and MPs returned to the House of Commons.

Two media narratives largely dominated the coverage the rest of the day: 1) this is basically the election platform, which erm, hello, is pretty much the point, and putting something shiny and new in there while in a hung parliament would be difficult and asking for trouble; and 2) daring the opposition parties to bring down the government, which they won’t do, but reporters will ask leading – if not goading – questions all the same. And because of the requisite chest-thumping that goes along with a hung parliament, we saw both the Conservatives and NDP talking tough about not supporting it (well, the NDP said that the Liberals shouldn’t take their votes for granted even though they pretty much can because the NDP are in no shape to back up their words), and the Bloc essentially acknowledging that they would support it because of course they will. Nobody is going to bring the government down over this and go to another election (because no, there is no other possible government formation possible with the current composition of the Chamber), so the Liberals will pass this, and their fall fiscal update, and one or two of the bills on their priority wish list before they rise for the holidays, and the Conservatives and the NDP will huff and puff about it, but that’s about as much as will happen.

Once the speech was over, the Conservatives immediately launched into a renewed round of procedural shenanigans once they got back to the House of Commons, and before Erin O’Toole read his response to the Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne. First it was a point of privilege on the unresolved issue from the previous parliament on the Winnipeg Lab documents, in spite of the fact that the committee that wanted them doesn’t exist and the order they made also no longer exists. Then they went after the Clerk and the scurrilous allegations of partisanship (which, according to everyone I’ve spoken to – including Senate Conservatives – is ridiculous and office politics run amok in the House of Commons’ administration). The Speaker tried to cut that off, insisting that it should be dealt with at BoIE, especially as the Clerk cannot defend himself in the Commons, but they kept going after it, which is poor form and a signal that they want blood and they don’t care if they hurt the Clerk in the process. And after that, it was the vaccine mandate and the use of the Board of Internal Economy, demanding a vote on it – erm, which would just expose those who object to said mandate and tar those who object to the procedural use of the BoIE with the same brush, which seems politically foolish to me, but what do I know? (Affirming the vaccine mandate is part of the Liberals’ omnibus motion that would also restore hybrid sittings, for what it’s worth).

Good reads:

  • Bill Blair is attempting to provide clarity for those Canadians who needed to travel though the US as a detour for washed out BC road and face quarantine rules.
  • Blair also says that future weather events need to be taken into account when rebuilding and strengthening critical infrastructure.
  • The federal government isn’t likely to meet its refugee resettlement target, in part because the pandemic has made travel for those seeking asylum tougher.
  • A class-action lawsuit against the RCMP is being referred to the Supreme Court of Canada, as they say an administrative resolution process is in place.
  • The Roxham Road crossing is essentially reopened after the pandemic ban lifted (but still has public health restrictions), but fewer crossers are expected.
  • A Canadian woman who has spent more than two years in a Syrian prison camp is back in Canada with her daughter, who was repatriated earlier.
  • The Hill Times delves into what will be involved in getting committees up and running (which probably won’t happen before January).
  • Ontario’s Auditor General reports that the province deliberately ignored its legal obligation to engage in environmental consultations. (This is my surprised face).
  • Kevin Carmichael makes note of the Bank of Canada’s recent speech on housing prices and which markets are vulnerable to a correction.
  • Heather Scoffield hopes that parties can come to an agreement on the upcoming legislation about the new suite of more narrowly targeted pandemic benefits.
  • Althia Raj remarks on how Mary May Simon stole the show with her “welcome jolt of freshness” for the government’s third similar speech in a row.
  • My column notes particular egregious examples of certain political leaders engaging in American culture wars rather than paying attention to things in Canada.

Odds and ends:

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One thought on “Roundup: Nothing unexpected in the Speech from the Throne”

  1. See it’s not just “hybrid parliament” that causes cons to engage in GOP-style witch hunts and warfare. It’s a feature, not a bug, of being a con. They’re Internet trolls to begin with. All they do regardless of the format is to behave like trolls “away from keyboard” and in “meat space.” The question of whether or not they’re on a Zoom call or in person has no bearing on their drive to make this a “toxic parliament.”

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