OTTAWA – Cutting the deficit, axing subsidies for political parties and passing crime laws are just some of the first things the Conservative government will do now that it controls a majority in the House of Commons.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s big picture for the country was unveiled in a pageantry-filled ceremony that marks the official opening of Parliament.
Governor General David Johnston was ushered, along with the prime minister, into the Senate by the Gentlemen Usher of the Black Rod. The speech, which is written by the government, has to be read in the Senate because the Queen and her representatives are not allowed into the House of Commons.
Underlying all the ceremony is meant to be substance outlining the government’s goals and how it will achieve them.
There were few surprises with the government reiterating its commitment to the priorities set out in the failed March 2011 budget and on the campaign trail. Many failed bills from the last parliamentary session – including an attempt to axe the long-gun registry – will also see new light now that the Conservatives have a majority.
Here’s a list of the top ten things Canadians should expect from the government during the next session of Parliament.
1. Party subsidies
The plan: Harper has promised to axe the two dollar per-vote subsidy that all federal parties receive from the public purse. The subsidy could total $29 million this year. Harper said he will phase out the direct subsidy over the next three years. The Conservatives tried to eliminate the subsidy in 2008, but the opposition parties ganged up and threatened to overthrow the minority government.
Timelines: The government is expected to introduce this legislation early as the phase-out will take four years.
2. The deficit
The plan: The Conservatives are saying they’ll get rid of the deficit by 2015 by reviewing and cutting government spending. Harper’s cabinet will be in charge of picking and choosing what will be cut. The Speech from the Throne promised to focus on “reducing the cost of government” all while preserving essential services. Earlier this week, parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page rained on the government’s rosy plan, projecting a $7.3-billion deficit in 2015-16 instead of the $3.8-billion surplus forecasted by the government.
Timeline: 2015 with the spending review to start over the next calendar year.
3. Seniors and families
The plan: The Conservatives will keep the family caregiver tax credit they introduced in their failed March 2011 budget. When it was introduced earlier this spring, the benefit meant caregivers could get 15 per cent back on $2,000.
It’s another déjà -vu from the March budget when it comes to seniors. The government is still promising to bump up the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) for seniors. The rates will be raised to $600 for a single senior and $840 for couples. The top-up will mean 680,000 seniors will get a small boost to their income. This policy played a significant role in Jack Layton’s decision not to support the budget. Layton wanted the top-up to be bigger.
Timeline: In the March 2011 budget, the caregiver tax credit was scheduled to come into force in January 1, 2012. The GIS top-up was slated for July 1, 2011.
4. Health Care
The plan: The government is pledging to maintain the six per cent increase to the health transfer for the provinces. The strength of the Conservative commitment to this funding was a hot topic during the election campaign as the government will have to renegotiate the health accord with the provinces in 2014.
Timeline: The commitment is ongoing.
5. Libya
The plan: NATO has approved a 90-day mission extension in Libya, where forces are enforcing a no-fly zone and using air power to protect civilians who are rising up against Moammar Ghadafi. Canada’s future in this mission depends on Parliament as Harper has pledged to hold a debate on the issue.
Timeline: The current NATO mission ends on June 16, so the debate will likely be held early in this parliamentary session.
6. Crime
The plan: As promised on the campaign trail, Harper plans to reintroduce its controversial crime agenda which includes legislation to eliminate house arrest and pardons for serious crimes, to give police and courts more power, to protect people that make a citizen’s arrest and to make tougher sentences for elder abuse.
Timeline: On the campaign trail, Harper promised to pass an omnibus crime bill within the first 100 days of the new session.
7. Long-gun registry
The plan: After years of governing as a minority, the Conservatives will finally get the chance to achieve one of their pet policy goals once and for all – the elimination of the long-gun registry. The issue was a hot one on the campaign trail this spring with Harper targeting the rural ridings with promises to scrap the controversial registry. Last fall, members of the House of Commons narrowly defeated a private member’s bill to kill the registry.
Timeline: The Conservatives are expected to introduce legislation to kill the registry in the fall.
8. The Senate
The plan: Just two weeks after appointing three defeated Conservative MPs to the Senate, Harper is promising to reform the Upper Chamber. The government has pledged to reintroduce legislation to limit term lengths and to encourage provinces and territories to hold elections for Senate nominations.
Timeline: There are no clear timelines outlined on when the government will introduce reform legislation.
9. More ridings in Ontario
The plan: Ontario, B.C. and Alberta will be getting more MPs in the 2015 election. The Conservative government has pledged add more seats for the population-heavy to “restore fair representation” in the House of Commons. Many ridings in these provinces have more than three-times as many constituents as more rural ridings. The Conservatives tried to rebalance the number of seats in the last session of parliament, introducing legislation to add 18 seats for Ontario, seven for B.C. and five for Alberta. The attempt met opposition from MPs from Quebec and rural ridings.
Timeline: A specific date wasn’t specified in the Speech from the Throne, but Elections Canada will likely need three years to finish the job of redrawing riding boundaries.
10. Accountability for First Nations’ leaders
The plan: The Conservatives will reintroduce legislation to require First Nations chiefs and councillors to publish their salaries and expenses. The pledge follows a failed private member’s bill introduced by Conservative MP Kelly Block last October, and the revelation that one councillor in Nova Scotia earned almost a million dollars a year including band contracts.
Timeline: The government did not outline a timeline for this legislation.
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