Speech From the Throne Sets Government Priorities

On Tuesday, with all the traditional pomp and ceremony, Governor General Michaëlle Jean delivered the Speech From the Throne outlining the agenda for the new Conservative government. The speech stuck quite closely to the major themes the Conservatives have been hammering away at since the beginning of the election: accountability, reduction in the GST, tackling crime, child care, health care and a catch-all section on changes to the federal system of government. There were very few details on any of those topics though, so we'll have to wait to see just how they translate into practice. We won't have to wait too long for some of it though. The government plans to table the Federal Accountability Act next week. The omnibus legislation will cover donations to political parties, lobbying, protection for whistleblowers, and an increase in the transparency of appointments, contracts and auditing in government.