Throne speech to outline politicians' pay freeze

Outside of funding for the Own the Podium program, there will likely be no significant spending by the federal government this week. And the lengthy throne speech will have to justify the suspension of Parliament.

CTV News Channel: Craig Oliver from Ottawa

The throne speech is expected to broadly outline the government's focus on job growth and the economy, while significant details will likely come from Thursday's budget.

CTV News Channel: Mark Sikstrom, CTV.ca

CTV.ca readers have been very vocal and divided on prorogation, but when asked what they want the governement to focus on now, most said jobs and the economy.

Canada AM: Jane Taber and Craig Oliver discuss

The throne speech is expected to last longer than an hour, and the hosts of CTV's Question Period suspect that is because the government will try to justify the prorogation and their budget.

CTV News Channel: Grit Leader Michael Ignatieff

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatiff responds to suggestions the throne speech will be about 'innovation,' saying the prime minister is late with the suggestion, but the Liberals still welcome it.

Watch: See all Videos in the Player

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A Canadian flag flies under the Peace Tower, ahead of the resumption of Parliament in Ottawa, on Wednesday, March 3, 2010. (Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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Selected Comment

A low Canadian dollar has been an economic crutch for too long. It has kept us from the necessary sharpening of our competitive skills and abilities. Canada is home to countless businesses that simply cut production, reduce employment, and twiddle their thumbs when our dollar approaches parity with U.S. currency...waiting and hoping for a downward trend. That creates too much of a seesaw in the manufacturing/exporting sector. More proactive government measures are necessary to encourage and facilitate the investments required to foster genuine competitiveness.

Prof. Pye Chartt

Throne speech to cut down red tape for business

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Throne speech to outline politicians' pay freeze

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CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Wed. Mar. 3 2010 2:09 PM ET

The Conservative government plans to freeze the pay of the prime minister, cabinet ministers, MPs and senators as a budget-saving measure to battle a record deficit.

The measure is part of today's throne speech, a government official told The Canadian Press.

The government is expected to unveil a pro-business agenda in the throne speech, when it explains how it intends to steer Canada towards prosperity in the post-recession recovery.

Leaks from inside the government suggest that Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his cabinet believe Canadian business needs to become more competitive on a global basis, requiring investment in equipment and technology that will increase its productivity.

Watch the Throne Speech live on CTV.ca starting at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT

Overall, the government believes the business community needs be less reliant on a low-lying Canadian dollar to stay competitive in the long run and takes the position that the loonie will remain high for the foreseeable future.

Insiders say the government will introduce measures making it easier for foreign investors to put their money into Canada and will eliminate bureaucratic barriers that hold back business.

Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean will read out the 6,000-word throne speech on Wednesday afternoon, a process that is expected to take at least an hour.

Entitled ‘A Strong Canada, a Strong Economy, Now and in the Future,' the speech will map out how the government will "promote the jobs and industries of the future," a senior government official told The Canadian Press.

Looking forward to the future, the government is expected to try to keep a lid on taxes, while promising investment in infrastructure, education, training and research.

Globe and Mail journalist Jane Taber told CTV's Canada AM that the government will likely push the issue of job creation, which is critical to the long-term healing of the economy.

"I think we're going to hear an awful lot about job creation," Taber, also the co-host of CTV's Question Period, said Wednesday morning from Ottawa.

"I think that's a huge concern of this government, it's going to be a big focus of this budget that we see tomorrow."

Craig Oliver, CTV's chief political correspondent and co-host of Question Period, said that while there may be some focus on job creation, the overall level of investment will be small, as the government is hampered by a ballooning federal deficit.

"The government doesn't have money right now to do anything," Oliver told CTV's Canada AM. "This is going to be a very small budget."

Also on the domestic front, the government will outline security and justice measures -- two topics high on the Tory agenda.

In addition to explaining how the government plans to handle its big-picture concerns, the throne speech will also paint a picture of what the budget will look like -- with the finer points to come when the budget is formally unveiled on Thursday.

But it is expected that the government will not slash spending for health care, education or pensions.

Wednesday will also mark the first time that the Conservatives have stood before the House of Commons since last year, after the prime minister chose to prorogue Parliament last December.

Opposition parties have since been hammering the government on the controversial parliamentary shut down and it is expected they will again raise the issue in Ottawa later today.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says he is not expecting to hear anything that will convince him that the prorogation was necessary. NDP Leader Jack Layton wants to hold an emergency debate on the prime minister's power to shut down the government and intends to introduce legislation on the subject.

Taber said opposition parties will undoubtedly take the first chance they get to confront the government about the prorogation issue directly.

By taking the fight to the Conservatives in the House of Commons, they are able to remind Canadians about the issue and they can "see things changing in the polls," Taber said.

Despite the prorogation controversy, the Conservatives and Liberals remain deadlocked in the polls. A Canadian Press Harris Decima survey conducted from Feb. 18-28 found the two parties each hold 31 per cent support.

With files from The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

Vanc Guy
said

Oh boy I never could understand this one.. liberal supporters are actually complaining about the reduction in GST? Soooo to vote Liberal it means you want an INCREASE in GST! Ok I get it - and won't ever be voting for these loons!!

Bill in BC
said

I see the usual suspects are out in force today, seems everythign is the fault of that evil Mr. Harper. Oh, Grow Up!

DH
said

To Intelligent Liberal from Toronto: you can put a Ph.D. behind your name, but it doesn�t make you a doctor � Funding to the arts is all well and good, but do you really think that�s what�s going to get us out of recession? I remember this part � this is when the Roman empire falls because the Caesars were spending money on �entertainment� instead of good things. That�s an awesome direction to go � Get your head straight.And to Samual: you�ll notice that the Conservative government just put tight rules on mortgages to prevent a U.S.-like bubble. And as for your comment on education, think again. People from all parties are highly educated individuals. And yet, assuming that you�re highly educated, people from these parties can still be ignorant.

Malcolm
said

Well here we go, Only 3 days, The gold medals have been handed out the flags put away, the Olympics are over, the world has gone home and the dirt is already coming out, East versus West with Toronto in the middle. One side wants a smaller budget style gov with low taxes, the other wants huge taxes and massive spending, and the middle wants everything they can get. And the Bloc they just disagree with anything, And according to some Harper is the devil. So what has changed? I thought the liberals were going to sit in commons during the games, that didn't happen, although I see Layton was at his bar stool in Toronto (conveniet camera position) If you ask me the country ran just fine without any gov running for those 2 weeks. But I know whatever the speech is, it will be wrong. (to some)Go Canada Go (what a joke)

Mark
said

Government can not create jobs, they can only create an atmosphere where business will creat e jobs. (Well, unless the government expand that is!) We must freeze, or reduce spending. Our social welfare system is out of control - start there, it sounds cruel - but we can't aford it. ( My brother recently lost his job, and moved in with me instead of going on welfare) Cut business tax - employees are already taxed, and it will get small business hiring again.

Brian Roy
said

It must be nice for Stephen Harper to prorougue parliament and still recieve his pay and all of the other MP's also.Also seeing him and his family enjoying the Olympics after shutting down parliament makes me sick .He should be thrown out of parliament as he does not seem to care about regular Canadians,he only cares about himself.What goes around comes back to bite you in the you know what ,and i can't wait to see that happen to Mr. Harper,totally disgusting i say.I would also say that i had some respect for the G.G.,but that all disappeared when she agreed with Harper to prorougue parliament for no reason whatsoever except for to give Mr.Harper all the time he needed to take in the Olympics with his family .You can't try and tell me he never had all of this planned out because that's what kind of leader he is.I don't usually write online but i had to say something . thank you

WESTERNER
said

Wow - people you need to do "History Channel" and Financial Home Schooling - only an idiot can't see that we are headed for financial turnmoil if we keep shelling out but not taking in to reduce the debit load. That includes more people on UIC, Generous saleries for Government employees with reitement packages - not to mention the buy out packages for CEO's that we are supporting as taxpayers. Stimulas is only as good as the person the puts for the physical effort in "working". No Government employee of any of the three parties can answer what is going to happen - as it's just a prediction of the movement of the Gross Domestic Products and the individual's disposable income to purchase goods.

Ted
said

I am very proud of the Olympics!!!!!!!!!!I wish we could be as proud of all our Politicians.!!!!!!!!!!!!

nlh123
said

Ladies and gentlemen, this is our government which we elected. Many of the comments deal with items that are within the framework of our legislation based on governments which, again, we elected. Should you dislike the policy or process occurring there is an option. Vote at the next election for the party you think will do better. It is called Democracy. No government will ever be perfect, but if we pull together, be informed, and offer solidarity rather than pointing fingers and laying blame, we will be stronger and more able to meet the needs of all our citizens.

Rob
said

To intelligent liberal, with out buisness there is no jobs. And what have you done to create jobs? If you want to do something start raising hell about companies out sourcing Canadian jobs out to other countries costing us jobs.Calgary

Vang Guy
said

I'm confused? So many commie/liberal posts say that our PM is selling out the USA? Selling out to our biggest trading partner and neighbour? But isn't Iggy more American than Canadian?? Maybe my confusion is really my BS detector and these lefty posts are setting it off!!

Frank Buchan
said

Why is it actual debates end up as arguments about which statistic is more reliable? Polls lie, always, because even when they end up accidentally right the lag is too great to have it matter.The problem in this country now is plain, and obvious: we have programs in place that spend at rates we cannot sustain.

The only answer to that is determine where our collective priorities lie, and gut the rest, redirecting all that expenditure to the core programs. Anyone that thinks this hurts the average Canadian, needs to review the programs we have out there -- some of them horribly misguided. Yes, government employees would moan, but the fact is even many of them know how irrelevant much of what they are forced to do has become.

lifeinyukon
said

The Liberals are stalled because its a rejection of Iggy He has to do something and that doesn't mean propping up the CPC. The business focus wont please the NDP much and they may not be so eager to help Harper like they did the last time so this budget better be the Holy Grail.

Chris
said

Wendy! I don't know if you live in Canada but I don't understand why you hold a grudge like that against Harper. You really need to go see professional help on that issue because I have to believe that it's huge. It seems like you are not wired properly. Wired like an extreme lefty liberal. We all respect, our best Prime Minister will not step down and iffify will never be PM and you will be alone. really lonely you poor thing...

Jean Desjardins, Montreal
said

I like the Harper Gov. more and more. Too much liberalism has transformed Quebec into one of the most indebted governments in the western hemisphere (along with Greece I believe). I want more responsible government spending, low taxes and more business, and the Harper Gov. is the closest to delivering just that. Anyone claiming that Canadians would be better off with more gov. and more unions simply doesn't understand how wealth generation works, frankly. Unions have simply killed any quality workmanship in Quebec. Quebec is a government whose mantra now is: collect maximum taxes and deliver minimum services. I challenge anyone to debate that claim.I prefer speaking English and being wealthy over speaking french and being over-taxed (read poor).GO HARPER GO!

Rob from BC
said

You know, I read all these posts and the only thing I can think of is the movie Brewster's Millions.We need a spot on the federal ballot for "none of the above"I've voted liberal in the past but to be honest I think I might just vote green just because I don't like what ANY of the parties have to say.All this bickering between parties is often reflected in comment sections like this. Harper said this, Iggy said that, NDP did this, separatists tried that.It's all bunk. I'm voting none of the above from now on.

CLS
said

So there is a lot of credit bestowed upon Mr Harper for the current state of our economy and country, lets be honest... was it his government or all his predecessors (regardless of party affiliation) that deserve the credit, I mean he has barely been in office with all the proroging etc... I agree there are elements of each party that are great... but the party beliefs are apparently not what our leaders implement when that win that coveted seat... its their personal ideals... maybe we should change our election process... keep the process by which we elect our local MPPS but allow us to vote specifically for our PM without party interferance. The PM is our leader afterall shouldn't we say who that should be... Too all our leaders, we have just experienced an all time NATIONAL HIGH thanks to the Olympics, lets keep that momentum going. Stop this bickering over proroging (wrong yes, but its history now, you can't change that it happened, its a waste of time), stop the backlashing (its politics, nothing personal)... get on with making the diference you signed up to make when you decided to enter politics... You are the leaders of a massive company ... the Company of Canada, start running it as such and making us as pround as we were over the past couple weeks, as proud as we were on Sunday evening...

Rob
said

The three clowns will try to desroy our Country yet again......We need more votes for our PM....Getting sick of hearing useless bable from these opposition parties

PubServ Annie
said

I wonder how much of government expenditures are actually public servant salaries, rather than judges, armed forces, etc. and senior policially-appointed executives?How much are we paying to MPs (who can retire after 5 years, who have special health treatment)? I mean the retired ones too. How much money is involved?How many people are aware that just before a federal election, political staff are dropped into the bureaucracy, and not at low levels either. We are told to hire/put them somewhere and that's it. Who gets apppointed as ambassadors? Not public servants.I wonder what % of government expenditures are very senior types (read: political appointees)? What salaries and perks do they get, compared with Joe Public Servant, who isn't allowed to comment in public (wonder why)? Why is it legal for politicians to take money out of our pensions, and it's been one healthy chunk let me tell you, to fund their pork barrel programs? Is this legal in any other non-third world country?We're heading into an economy of two extremes--one comprised of basically politicians/CEOs, the other of folks who work at Tim Hortons.I'm not thrilled by this, are you?How and when are we going to get government, not politics, that addresses this widening gap?

HST
said

Ontario TaxpayerYour blind devotion will soon be rewarded with HST.I suppose that Harper tax grab just brightens your day!You should have been listening when in those higher halls of learning.

Sk Small Businessman
said

Good, interfere less with business so it can create jobs and wealth...

eleonore
said

There is only one way to help the business now, get rid of all financier as CEO and replace them with professional people which now about production like engineers�. enough with people that know only marketing and financing and that keep lying just to sell the products but don�t care what happens next�.

RWR
said

All the critics spouting off about Iggy's ties to the US obviously have blinders on. Have none of you noticed that the Stephen Harper gov't does nothing unless the US does.That's not a leader. That's a follower.

lc
said

So the general idea is everybody but the business community have to tighten their belts.They not only do not have to tighten but the government seems to have spare change for corporate tax cuts.We should not be surprised as this has been the agenda of most western nations for the last 30 years regardless if the government is labeled left or right.Class warfare on the poor and middle class.One has to wonder just how much more punishment working people can take before a collapse.Will the greed never end?

LDL inONT
said

To BC Economist: You need to recognize when a comment is tongue in cheek. "Intelligent Liberal from Toronto" is obviously being facetious, not to mention that they have choosen an oxymoron for a name.

Ontario Taxpayer
said

Samual states: it's the high school drop outs that believe the lies Harper tells.Well, according to Samuals logic, I should be voting Liberal because I have a degree. maybe I should be voting twice (like some Liberals have been caugt doing) as I have two degrees. Thanks Samual for showing how enlightened the Liberal left are in this country. Well Done....well Done indeed. I have no complaints with the current administration. As a minority gov't, they have been forced into a spending frenzy by the left and now those same hypo-grits attack them for creating a deficit. it is time for us "apparently" uneducated Canadians to give this gov't the Majority they deserve!

Acroyear
said

To GHW. Amen! I'm so tired of partisan crap! I was a member of the Liberal Party. I tore up my card and tossed it at our riding presidents face when Dion wanted to bring in that idiotic carbon tax. We desperately need real debate...praise whatever party for what it does well, hammer them on what they don't rather than just nay say whatever comes from them. We need REAL leaders with real debate, and who are willing to flex and not let partisan party policy get in the way of doing what makes Canada stronger. I am so sick of the entire LOT of them and of so many voters who sheepishly vote for the name and not the substance behind it...if it even has any.

eddieo
said

Ron from NS is spot on.Harper & Co. brought us this deficit with their irresponsible cuts to the GST and corporate largesse. They would have involved us in an illegal war had they been in power. While in power, they violated Canadian law and failed to arrest admitted war criminals when they came into the country. They have stifled discussion.The Conservatives are not responsible Canadians to the point that they changed the responsibilities of Canadian citizens to fit their own profile.It will take years to clean up their mess, and the sooner we get to work doing so the better.

Michael (Ottawa)
said

We in Canada need a review of ALL government spending programs. No more sacred cows. We need sunset laws so unnecessary programs don't keep sucking us dry. We need simplicity so businesses can do what it does best without having big brother as an albatross around owners necks with reams of reporting weighing them down. We need a simplified tax system not one which employs tens of thousands of civil servants due to its overbearing bureaucracy. We need simplification, less taxes (Dalton McGuinty is about to destroy Ontario with his HST). Canadians have become burdened down due to Liberal programs over the years and it has to be stopped. Its a curse to a healthy nation.

Chris, Irishtown NL
said

Great comment GHW. We need an open, honest and transparent government - I could care less if they are blue, red, green or pink with purple polka dots. I find it hard to believe that ANYONE would openly be an actual Harper supporter - I think they are only trying to defend their party of choice. As for Iggy, I have a hard time supporting someone who lived outside of the country for my entire life until he thought he might have a chance to become Prime Minister. Both the Cons and the Libs are really out to lunch when they think they can have a definative election win with the sorry leaders that they have in place. If one of those parties were to have a strong dynamic leader I think the polls would quickly spin. For the record, these potential leaders do not include; Day, Baird, or any other member of the current cabinet, Rae, Goodale, Trudeau, or any of the other sad 'ole yes men of the Liberals.We in Canada lack a party with real leadership and therefore will always be in a tie for first.

J.W.
said

All for pro-business but to a point, wouldn't give a cent to oil, banks and insurance areas..they make enough with prices always increasing rates on us.Need to visit social programs and where programs are over-manpower requirements.

John
said

Now when the economy is on the upswing the PM should stop paying for any new innovation. He should now be looking for any spare dollars and start conserving to get the national debt down.

GHW
said

Ron from NS � You are correct about Harper making a mistake lowering the GST by 2%. He should now raise it back up due to the recession. Everything else you said is a pile of bunk that reminds me of U.S. Republicans saying that Obama is a Nazi. Let�s be honest our current deficit is partially due to lowing the GST but mostly due to the global recession that caught everyone off guard. Further more just because he wants to cooperate with our largest trading partner doesn�t mean he wants to turn Canada into another U.S. state. What a load of crap! I can�t stand it when people use these disingenuous scare tactics. We need an honest government with an honest debate.

daryn
said

HELLO WE HAVE JOBS IN SASKATCHEWAN, the problem here is we have no housing, so if you are a redneck, and like living in trailers, move your trailer here and come and get a job at McDonald's for 12 bucks an hour

BC Economist
said

@ Intelligent Liberal. For someone who is apparently so "intelligent" you sure spout some absolute nonsense. How DARE Harper make his speach pro-business! How dare he try to make business conditions better! He should be taking all of our tax dollars and putting it towards ARTS. What a ridiculous sentiment. The best thing we can possible do right now is make Canada an attractive place for the world to do business. Mr Harper has half a brain and understands this. That is the only way we will pull out of the economic funk we are in and prosper in the long term. Then, Mr Intelligent, you can take all the extra disposible income you gain from a growing economy and buy all the art and support all the artists your heart desires. If the art is good and worth having, people will pay money to support it. But don't take my hardearned money to subsidize bad art just for the sake of having it.

alfred
said

what games were you watching wendy? i seen lots of leaders. typical liberal, arrogant to the bone

Wendy
said

The only thing I would like to hear from the throne is that Harper has stepped down. Not even one world leader came to Canada's Olympics, because Harper has destroyed our reputation on the worlds stage. Harper please take your fossil award & go home.

dave
said

We need to look at excesive social programs, there are to many people sitting around with their rear ends firmly planted in tubs of butter at public expence. Hard work is the only answer to pull ones self out of dire times, It 's good for your mind and body.

David
said

'Remember it is Harper who said we should be "shoulder to shoulder" with the US in Iraq.'April 2004 also said "Given our limited military capacity and the extent to which our people are already over-commited across the world, I don't think that's feasible." on canadian troops in iraq.

Shirley - SK
said

Liberal lovers what does Ignatief have to offer Canada? Absolutely Nothing! Yes the Cons. have made many mistakes which many are not happy with. Its a learning in process. It would have been a disaster economically for any party in power when the recession hit, no political party would have steered Canada from unemployment, extra debt and so forth. Each one of us has to do our part and get our debt under control first and then Canada won't seem like such a bad place after all, we still are #1.

James
said

It amazes me how stupid the conservative supporters are. Iggy only lived in the US for 6 years the rest of his time abroad was in Europe, but you still see comments from the cons about Iggy & the US. Actually it's Harper that dreams of making Canada part of the US. Then we have the cons that don't understand the difference between the proper use of prorogation & Harper's anti democratic proroguing of parliament. Even the the stimulus Harper said there was no need for it, Canada's economy was strong, but the rest of the world & the opposition parties had to tell him the facts. Now the cons try to take credit for the stimulus the opposition forced. The real kicker here is only 16 billion spent on stimulus, mostly those big checks, door knobs & advertising the action plan. Wheres the other 40 billion? The liberals left Harper with a 13 billion surplus, if the cons were good managers of our money we would be in surplus & not the largest deficit in Canadian history. If god was the leader of the liberal party the cons would still vote conservative, even though history shows us every time their in power Canada comes close to bankruptcy, then the libs are voted in to straighten out the mess. Come on people educate yourselves & stop voting for this lying, slimy slug.

mahanna ali
said

polls...polls...polls....it seems they are used for every other purpose but to show actual voter intent.yesterday the angus ried polling fim released one showing the conservatives with a 4 pt. lead (threehundredeight.com)...i see today thus far the usual suspect "harris decima" shows shows a tie @ 31%...this is the same polling firm that tried to have us believe that steph dion was polling ahead of harper....the polls are like a smorgusbord...we can pick and choose which ones to believe...i don't mind mentioning that decima and ekos are liberal polling firms....the angus reid firm, for example, is less partisan and thus more credible.another poll brought to my attention by a fellow poster has the conservatives at 37% and the libs @ 29%...i haven't actually seen this one.it is apparent, after we cut through all the b.s. that the conservatives still have a definite lead over the liberals(whatever it is)...and this is after the so called "public anger" over prorogation and other "misgivings/scandals" and anything else the opposition tries to slag them with....it is apparent that the conservatives are in the drivers seat...watch for today's throne speech and tomorrows budget-they should be barnburners...also the afgan detainee issue is being re-introduced-it has become apparent that some arabic people have been "hand delivered" by canada for interrogation/ torture abroad in around the 2001 - 2004 time frame...this should be interesting....i guess the liberal party hasn't heard the old adage "watch what you wish for...you may just get it (and everything that goes with it!)

Sober, Newmarket
said

Some people here need to give their heads a good shake. Where should the jobs come from if not business? The government? Give me a break, this is not China!

Aaron in Toronto
said

Offering tax cut or tax credit for business is fine as long as they set the condition which is to keep jobs in Canada instead of letting those companies to get tax cut and export our job overseas.Would they be that smart to add this into the condition? I don't think so.

Andrea in Ottawa
said

Well, we need good jobs in Ottawa as well.

Edb (Hamilton)
said

The former Liberal policy of keeping the dollar artificially low created a lazy manufacturing sector.As long as the US viewed Canada as a cleaner more stable Mexico, the money flowed north leaving little incentive to actually compete. Once Obamanomics completes its hard left turn and decimates the US economy, Canadian companies better be prepared to truly compete in a global market. The days of fat welfare cheques from the US feeding an overpaid and underproductive Canadian mfg sector will soon be at an end.

Samual
said

This government is sniffing gas fumes. It's pretty hard to compete with the rest of the world when we have some of the most expensive real estate in the world. We need to make three times more than most countries to live at the same standard of living. Thanks to Harper's zero down mortgages for that. Harper has put Canada on the road to bankruptcy, the same as the cons did the last time they were in power. It Took the liberals 15 years to dig us out of the mess Mulroney made. As our country become more educated less people will vote conservative, it's the high school drop outs that believe the lies Harper tells.

james
said

youre right josh in moose jaw, a polls shows the conservatives at 37% and liberals at 29%, but the media forget to show a true poll which shows harper leaving iggy in the dust when it comes to best prime minister and leadership. the bias liberal media will never show that.

Brad from Guelph
said

The Liberals with their American leader....are you kidding!!!Just imagine Iggy as P.M. and all the essays he wrote proclaiming to be American will finally come out and the Liberals will finally get what they deserve-a turn coat NDPer who almost put Ontario into Chapter 11-to borrow a term from Iggy's homeland as leader of the once mighty Liberal party....the only reason Canada is in the best position of any country right now is because of lower taxes and a more (wait for it) conservative way of capital spending...just imagine the mess we would be in if the seperatists and NDPers were able to follow through on their attempted coup....

Tyler Toronto - JOBS JOBS JOBS
said

JOBS JOBS JOBS! I like the direction of the throne speech there is only so much government can do and they are doing it. Another Gold Medal this one for to Conservatives as part of Team Canada.

Intelligent Liberal from Toronto, PhD
said

So now Harper is going to make the speech from the throne PRO BUSINESS! That is the worst thing he can do. Business has ruined Canada! What the speech from the throne needs is more funding to the arts. It also should fix the problem of so much crime being committed with KNIVES. The best way to solve that problem is to create a knife registry, but Harper won't do that since all he cares about is BUSINESS!

Brian fr Langley
said

Its incredibly unfortunate how many folks making these posts are so busy shooting holes in their own boats they don't realize they are sinking. Same tired old left wing babble. Human nature is such that if you don't incent hard work, innovation and risk, you won't get hard work, innovation or risk. Thats really all a good Government program does. This aint ideology, its just common sense.

Portes
said

Josh in MoosejawThe interesting thing is that Iggy came last among people asked which leader would they like at this time. Harper 48%,Layton 33% and Iggy 16%. I think that this poll speaks for itself. We need better busines help in this country, we are not competetive enough and rely too much on the low value of the dollar. There is far too much red tape and government involved in bringing business to Canada. I think that this has been long needed

rick quinte west
said

"Conservatives founded this great country and there has been more Conservative Prime Ministers than Liberal." ***You might better check up on your history.

Josh in Moosejaw
said

The Harris Decima poll and the Ekos poll who always favour the Liberals have been dismissed by a credible poll Ipso released yesterday that has the Conservatives at 37% and the Liberals at 29% and the NDP at 16%.

Fact Check
said

@Ron from NS Wake up Ron is 2010 your in Canada. Ignatieff was the one pushing the Iraq war. Mike Iggy also wrote his Lesser Evil Essay published in the Liberal paper called the New York Times which in part read: We need to fight evil with evil including Co-ersive Interogation, Pre-emptive War and Assasination. Sure Iggy is now trying to blame Canada for Torture which appears he is trying to trade Canada's reputation for his own given his well published embarassing veiws. Ron seems to have a bit of a selective memory our Banking system was over seen my Joe Clark, Kim Campbell, Deiffenbaker, Mulroney and Harper and the the Liberals under Pearson in a minority when the Conservative held them to account.

Dave Baker
said

Strong businesses mean more productivity and more jobs, workers rights nowdays means less work and more pay. If people want more for what they do they should go get better skills. Don't do it by blackmailing the company you work for into submission and eventual failure. That's the Liberal and NDP way.

Adele Underwood Retired in Toronto
said

The Liberals live in a fantasy world the fact is Conservatives founded this great country and there has been more Conservative Prime Ministers than Liberal. Liberal social programs are usually to special interest groups but have nothing to do with transferring help and wealth to those who need it.

Wade Ens: Ignatieff Useless
said

Ignatieff is still fuming about prorogation because Harper and Layton were cheering on Team Canada. Ignatieff use to call himself American in public but now he says he is Canadian but when the puck was dropped I wonder who he cheered for in private. Ignatieff will have his usual insults that are meaninging less because we are on the right track.

jim
said

lets see if the opposition will have the guts to defeat it and send us to the polls.

Bill
said

It's a speech from the toilet!!! Yes Harper is a joke! But how did he enjoy the Olympics with his buddy Dalton. Looks like they are pretty tight...Harper and his dictatorship has to go!!!

Prof. Pye Chartt
said

Steve in Manotick
said

What' to comment on Harper will sit there with a forced smile on his face. The GG will read the speech and Harper will do whatever he pleases..Yaw Yaw Yaw

Ron from NS
said

The Conservative mantra has been and always be pro business with little respect for workers or social policies. If you want to see what will happen with their plan, all you need to do is to look at the US and it's situation.

Remember it is Harper who said we should be "shoulder to shoulder" with the US in Iraq. Remember it was Harper who wanted to open up the Banks to complete with the US and world banks. Look how that worked out.

It was a liberal controlled senate that kept out banks like they are. Remember it was Harper who said that Canada wouldn't run a deficit. It was the coalition and the G20 who forced Harper to put out a stimulus package, which he now take credit for. Harper will never raise taxes and will continue to run deficits. That is what Conservatives do. The 2% GST cut was not warranted and has created a structural deficit. Harper needs to go. His vision is Canada being a territory of the US.