Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Conservative MP Alex Ruff says the minority Liberal Government’s 2021 Speech from the Throne was “Broad in scope, and empty in substance.”
On Tuesday, (Nov 23) Governor General Mary Simon delivered the Liberal Government’s Speech from the Throne. The speech is written by the Prime Minister’s Office and is meant to present the government’s priorities for that new session of parliament.
Until this week, parliamentarians hadn’t sat in the House of Commons since late June. Following the September election, Monday, November 22nd was the first day MPs were back in their seats to elect a speaker of the House of Commons. Following that, the Throne Speech must be read out by the head of state before Parliament can begin its new session.
The minority Liberal government’s Speech From the Throne emphasized putting an end to the pandemic, building a more resilient economy, working towards reconciliation with indigenous peoples, combating climate change, gun control, diversity and inclusion and advancing its childcare plan.
Ruff says in a statement, “The speech re-announced many of the same recycled, and still unfulfilled promises from 2015; six years later.”
He says, “What deeply concerns me, is the lack of attention paid to important issues constituents of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound are facing. There was no mention of plans to increase, or invest in, rural broadband and the rural infrastructure needed to accelerate economic development, growth, and opportunities in the region. Constituents have been waiting for high-speed, reliable broadband for far too long, and the Liberals have failed to announce concrete plans once again to address this pressing issue.”
Ruff continues, “I was also disappointed to see there was no mention of the labour shortages many businesses and agri-businesses are currently facing. With businesses short hundreds of thousands of workers in Ontario alone, this does not appear to be a priority for the government. It is imperative the government takes action to address the labour shortages we are currently experiencing before we see the impacts disrupting supply chains, and we feel the consequences when we reach for products on grocery store shelves.”
“Most notably, inflation and rising costs of living are significant issues all Canadians are facing, yet, in the Speech from the Throne, there were no concrete measures introduced on how the government plans to address this. Younger Canadians are being priced out of homes in their own neighbourhoods, seniors on fixed incomes are struggling to afford the essentials, and parents are feeling pressured by the rising costs of feeding their families. It is my sincere hope the government makes this a higher priority in this session of parliament,” says Ruff.
“There was more missing from the 2021 Throne Speech than what was included, clearly demonstrating how out of touch this Liberal Government is with regular Canadians. No mention of our Canadian Armed Forces, no thanks or acknowledgement of our farmers who have ensured Canada’s food supply remained stable during the pandemic, and no concrete plans to address the issues impacting Canadians across the country. My Conservative colleagues and I will continue to hold the government to account to provide solutions to these important challenges.”