TORONTO—Premier Kathleen Wynne followed up a technical prorogue of the legislature with a Throne Speech outlining the government’s plans going forward into an election year. Although opposition parties were calling foul as private member’s bills were tumbled into the dustbin by the move, the Wynne government asserted that no sitting days were lost (since the prorogue came during the March break) and that all government bills would be reintroduced for debate.
The government characterized the Throne Speech read by Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell to open the third session of the province’s 41st parliament on Monday as taking “bold action to enhance health care, home care, mental health and child care.”
The government’s plan going forward will “focus on doing more for people in health care, home care, mental health care and child care services. It will also expand a number of other programs that support people to care for their loved ones and help them to succeed in a changing economy.”
“I hear from people every day who put caring first, whether it’s at home, caring for their families, or at work, caring for patients, students or society’s most vulnerable people,” said Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne following the Throne Speech. “The people of Ontario are our greatest strength and our government doesn’t accept that anyone should be left to fend for themselves, particularly in this turbulent, changing economy. We’re taking bold steps to ensure the best care for our children, our seniors and our friends and family members. Our plan will relieve pressure on families by making it easier for people to care for themselves and for each other.”
Ontario’s economy remains strong, noted the government announcement, with the unemployment rate at its lowest in almost two decades. But it pointed out the rising cost of living and that stable, long-term jobs are becoming harder to find, so that many people struggle to make ends meet as they try to take care of themselves and their families.
“As the changing economy widens the gaps within our society, the government has a plan to build a fairer, better Ontario by supporting everyone in the province with the care and opportunity they need to get ahead,” notes a release on the speech.
The government’s priorities, as outlined in the Throne Speech, were: reducing wait times for health care by significantly increasing hospital operating budgets; expanding home care to provide more services for seniors choosing to stay at home, and to provide financial relief for families who are caring for aging loved ones; making historic investments in mental health and addictions services so people of all ages across the province can get the care they need; ensuring more people without a drug and dental benefits plan will have access to more affordable prescription drugs and dental care; providing more college and university students with free tuition through the new OSAP; making investments to train more apprentices for the workforce, including in emerging fields; focusing on regions that are struggling to achieve economic growth by investing in workers and businesses; continuing to make record-breaking investments across Ontario in public infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, roads, bridges and transit systems.
NDP Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Mike Mantha was sceptical. “What you are hearing is from 15 years of failed policies,” he said. “They are doing what is best for the Liberal Party. Ontarians are not going to put up with that. They have had 15 years to fix the problems and what we have are crumbling infrastructure, hospitals with people lying in the hallways, our medical services are suffering and people have to choose between feeding their families and paying their hydro bills. The people of Ontario want change.”
“The Ontario government laid out its priorities today in its Speech from the Throne, with mostly disappointing outcomes in regard to working with First Nations in Ontario ahead of the upcoming election,” said Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day in a release responding to the Throne Speech. “Despite an opening reference to the fact that our peoples are still shut out of the prosperity that built this province, there were no plans on how the province will become a more active treaty partner in ‘a fair and better Ontario.’ In fact, there was no mention of the treaty relationship that created this province.”
Still, Regional Chief Day said he was encouraged that more First Nations students were benefiting from free tuition.
“Something we noted was the omission of the commitment to implement Resource Revenue Sharing (RRS), which has been included in previous Throne Speeches,” he said. “We must continue to forge ahead on this commitment to implement a provincial Resource Revenue Sharing (RRS) policy, which will vastly improve First Nation prosperity. Revenue sharing is not just about minerals and forests, but includes a share of provincial revenues from gasoline and tobacco, to cannabis and cap and trade.”
“In weeks to come,” continued Regional Chief Day, “First Nations will be turning up the volume on the fact that this province, and this country, was built because treaties were signed with our peoples. Now is the time to fully include First Nations and realize that promise of shared prosperity for all. Let’s chart a new treaty economic path with Ontario that fully includes First Nations. A new treaty economy also includes access to employment and training, government procurement, as well as interprovincial and international trade. Together, we will generate wealth and build a fair and better Ontario for all.”
