Prime Minister Justin Trudeau heads back to his seat before the delivery of the Speech from the Throne at the Senate of Canada Building in Ottawa on Sept. 23, 2020.The Canadian Press
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Readers respond: Liberals pledge in Throne Speech to create one million jobs during pandemic recovery
The sound of your tax dollars being flushed down the toilet to advance an agenda that is not on the minds of most Canadians.
Oh, and your children’s and your grandchildren’s money too. – FunnyBunny3
Should Canadians be left to starve and live on the street during these times? The last time we were in this big a debt position (post-Second World War), there was no plan and no need to repay the national debt. It settled itself based on the growth of the economy and low interest rates, and that’s what is most likely going to happen here. It’s true. – AdaminMontreal
Economic growth won’t get us out of debt this time due to low population growth relative to the post-Second World War era. “Green jobs” will be a make-work project with no lasting legacy to propel future growth. Transportation infrastructure to get our goods to export markets would do wonders for years to come. Military spending would increase our clout in a hostile global environment. Windmills, solar panels and building retrofits will not help future growth. – Libertarian1
I think growth will be elusive everywhere in advanced economies, but there are many reasons, mostly that the dramatic increase in productive capacity – thanks to public health, sanitation, home appliances, child care, transportation and now communications – is done. The work of economist Robert Gordon is very interesting in this regard.
Canada needs to think about what vested interests and cultural norms are preventing further increases in productivity through industrial innovation, especially if we are about to start rolling back the profitable increases that were accomplished through offshoring and globalization.
In their new speech from the throne, read by Gov. Gen. Julie Payette, the federal Liberals promised everything from help speeding up COVID-19 tests to reforming the RCMP. They made four batches of pledges to try to fight off the pandemic and rebuild the economy in what the Liberals argue will be a better way.
The Canadian Press
But even if we unlock industrial innovation, it’s vanishingly unlikely that growth will ever exceed 3 per cent again. That’s why inflation is no longer much of a threat, and why monetary policy is no longer effective.
Too many people are looking at the challenges of the future through an obsolete economic lens. 1970-2000 was a good run for the Chicago school, but it’s been over since long before the global financial crisis. – Andy Reynolds
From Ontario to the rest of Canada:
My fellow Canadians,
In Ontario, we are still waiting for all those thousands of green jobs, as promised by the previous Liberal government.
Thus far, in 2020, nothing really happened, except for having some of the highest hydro prices in the developed world.
Oh, and one of the largest sub-national debts in the world.
Lots of “green” talk, but unfortunately, absolutely nothing to show for it. – wind_stopper
This is absolutely terrifying. We have no idea how they are going to finance all of this.
Second time in a row the Liberals have unveiled a platform completely different from what they campaigned on after the election. There should not be a third time. This has to end. – Kirk21
I look forward to my new government job! One-hundred-per-cent security, no COVID-19 layoffs and a defined benefit pension plan! What’s not to like? Everyone should work for the government. – Mark 710
This from the guy who promised to plant two billion trees, remember? And to change the voting system. And so many more promises he’s broken as well. How can he be trusted? – BobTheBob
Throne Speeches aren’t about substance. The legislation and policy changes that flow out of a Throne Speech are the substance. Think of a Throne Speech as a road marker, and the legislation as the vehicle to get there. – ToadBrother
Exact opposite of what Canada needs, which is for government to get the heck out of our way. We can build our economy back all on our own, thank you very much. – Leslie Riviera
So far, I haven’t seen anything in the Throne Speech that indicates how we are going to pay for all this largess. – John McMortimer-Boyles
Why not a kajillion jobs? Under Justin Trudeau’s watch, that’s about as likely. – HW01
Those of us on the prairies who use natural gas to heat our houses and don’t have access to hydroelectric or nuclear power are going to get bent over with carbon and Clean Fuel Standard taxes. Sounds like another transfer tax. – Tryin' Hard
Say goodbye to Canada’s credit rating and the low interest rates that go with it. – rickschlosser
The Throne Speech promises yet more support for oil and gas.
And it promises the manifestly inadequate goal of net zero by 2050, when we can all see on the news every night that net zero by 2020 is already miles and miles too late.
The Liberals won’t lift a finger to deal with climate change; they bought the oil industry a pipeline as a gift (for which they received no gratitude); they continue to tiptoe around to avoid offending the industry; and the industry continues to hate them anyway.
And yet the oil industry continues to complain.
Long overdue for some tough love. – OldBanister
The government doesn’t create jobs, it creates the conditions so that the private sector can create these jobs. So treat that as a promise that this government, or any government, would find impossible to keep. Long-term care and daycare are provincial responsibilities – without the provinces on board, there will be no movement on these two issues. As for government taking on debt so Canadians didn’t have to, it shows a remarkable lack of understanding of government and the Canadian people. Government takes on debt on behalf of Canadians, and it is Canadians who are ultimately going to pay for this debt in one way or another.
Obviously, in the midst of the continuing effects of COVID-19, there needs to be continued government assistance. However, taken as a whole, it’s hard to see why government needed to be prorogued in order to present a document that rehashes past government actions, while presenting vague promises for an as-yet-undefined future. – JeffSpooner
This is why I voted for the guy.
We need a pragmatic, courageous government, and that’s what we have.
Lots of lamenting and tears for fears, but I don’t see any in-depth understanding from commenters. Mostly the same old, same old.
If you don’t like Justin Trudeau, then you don’t like his policies regardless of how good they are for Canada and Canadians.
Me, I like my government to work in the best interests of the country, and that’s what I’m getting.
Thanks, Justin! Thanks, Chrystia! – Black Swan
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