Global Financial Crisis Will Be Focus of Canadian Throne Speech

Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean unveils Prime Minister Stephen Harper's legislative agenda for Canada's 40th Parliament and the economy is center stage.

How the Canadian government plans to deal with the global financial crisis will be the main focus of the Conservatives' third speech from the throne on Wednesday as Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean unveils Prime Minister Stephen Harper's legislative agenda for Canada's 40th Parliament. The throne speech will establish the economy as the government's No. 1 priority. The prime minister enters the House of Commons with a larger minority government , however, the Conservatives still need the support of at least one opposition party to ensure the passage of legislation. All may not go well, as the Liberals under outgoing Leader Stéphane Dion have indicated they will no longer abstain from voting against Harper's Conservatives on confidence votes. This throne speech is expected to be less partisan in nature, and will be, as a PMO official told reporters Monday, "less a prescriptive laundry list of policies and actions" and instead will single out the economy as the most pressing issue facing the government. It is possible that other Conservative campaign promises will be "secondary:" topics such as the environment, cross-border and crime issues. 'You can't tell much from a throne speech' "There was an awful lot of bluster during the campaign" about Tory justice bills being immediate confidence matters, Liberal MP Martha Hall Findlay said. "I understand that's not going to be happening." But Hall Findlay believes "you can't tell much from a throne speech." "What Mr. Martin did and what Mr. Harper did the first time they presented a throne speech — I hope they'll be open this time," Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe said. Government House leader Jay Hill said "I sense from conversations I've had with the opposition, and certainly the prime minister's view having met with the opposition leaders, is that all of them recognize the seriousness of the situation the nation is facing on the economic front."