OTTAWA – POLITICS – There are meetings going on in Ottawa seeking to work out how the Trudeau Liberal government will proceed in a minority government situation. The Liberals are looking to maintain the support needed to continue to govern. The opposition parties are looking for concessions from the Liberals in order to support the government.
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, during a meeting with Justin Trudeau today, has outlined his priorities for the upcoming speech from the throne.
Last week, Andrew Scheer called on Prime Minister Trudeau to immediately recall Parliament to deal with four pressing policy areas – keeping Canada strong and united, helping Canadians get ahead, restoring ethics and integrity in government, and getting the energy sector back to work.
In his meeting with the Liberal leader today, the Official Opposition leader laid out seven measures Conservatives want to see in Trudeau’s throne speech:
- Keep Canada united and strong by launching a task force to study the establishment of a national energy corridor, which could bring Ontario and Quebec hydroelectricity to new markets, open up opportunities for Western Canadian oil and gas, and connect rural communities in Atlantic Canada and the North.
- Help Canadians get ahead by offering broad-based tax relief, providing a date for balancing the budget, and proceeding with fair tax-free maternity benefits.
- Restore ethics and accountability to government by introducing stronger penalties in the Conflict of Interest Act.
- Get the energy sector back to work by tabling a detailed plan, with concrete deadlines, to build the Trans Mountain expansion and repealing Bills C-48 and C-69.
- Take real action on the environment by drawing on policies from our Real Plan to Protect the Environment, such as the Green Patent Credit, the Canadian Clean brand, the Green Home Renovation Tax Credit, and ending raw sewage dumps.
- Immediately fund regional transit expansion in the GTA, starting with the Ontario Line and Yonge Extension.
- Reduce the paperwork burden on Quebecers by adopting a single tax return.
