“Everybody realized when the House rose for the summer break that there was likely going to be two things happening over the summer: one was the Cabinet shuffle and one was prorogation, so I’m not sure what the surprise is,” said Fleishman-Hillard vice-president John Capobianco, a former Conservative Party candidate, adding that at the mid-term, after a major Cabinet shuffle, it makes sense to have a throne speech.
A poll found 66 per cent of Canadians disapproved of prorogation. Opposition was highest in Ontario and British Columbia, according to the survey, conducted by Forum Research by telephone Aug. 23.
Mr. Capobianco downplayed the public’s distaste for prorogation, which has been used in recent years by both the Harper and the Chrétien governments federally, and the Ontario Liberal government, as a tool for avoiding tight political spots.
The Liberal Party has said the government is trying to avoid the Senate scandal by proroguing and returning to the House later than its regularly-scheduled Sept. 16 start date.
“While starting a new session is an appropriate way to provide direction, Parliament has been on a summer recess since June and the Prime Minister has had plenty of time to write a throne speech, said Liberal deputy leader Ralph Goodale (Wascana, Sask.) in a statement.
The New Democratic Party has said proroguing Parliament delays important legislation including amendments to the Elections Act that were recommended by the chief electoral officer.
Yaroslav Baran, principal at Earnscliffe Strategy Group and a former ministerial Conservative staffer, said Canadians misunderstand what prorogations are.
“There seems to be a misunderstanding of what prorogation is and what it means among the public,” he said, noting that in the first century after Confederation it was not uncommon for Parliaments to prorogue every year. “In the grand scheme of things, we have fewer prorogations and throne speeches now than we have historically. One hundred years ago, a normal Parliament would have had four sessions, not two.”
Canada’s very first Parliament prorogued four times in five years under prime minister John A. Macdonald. During the First World War, then prime minister Robert Borden prorogued six times in six years.
“Over time, legislative agendas became more robust, and for practical reasons, sessions became extended in order to not wipe the slate clean and start from scratch with legislation,” said Mr. Baran.
This would be the first prorogation of this Parliament, two years after it was elected.
Prorogation effectively shuts down Parliament and resets it, killing all legislation on the Order Paper and opening a new session with a throne speech.
Mr. Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) has said the House will be prorogued and will return in October. He will be attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum Summit, which is being held in Indonesia Oct. 7 to 8, and the following week includes Thanksgiving, making the week of Oct. 21 the likeliest candidate for the throne speech.
The government will be presenting its speech before its caucus and party members have a chance to gather at its policy convention, scheduled for Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 in Calgary, Alta. The convention was meant to take place this June but was postponed due to the flooding in Southern Alberta.
Laying out the government’s policy before party members have a chance to give their input isn’t as problematic as it may seem, said Mr. Capobianco.
“The MPs have gone back to their ridings, a lot of them have hosted events and have been talking to constituents and both party members and non-party members. I think a lot of that communication and filtering has gone back,” he said.
The expected October throne speech will focus on the government’s longstanding priorities of the economy, jobs and trade, but there will likely be some policy surprises too, Mr. Capobianco said.
A key component of the government’s economic prosperity plans have been negotiating trade deals. In recent years it has concluded agreements with Panama, Jordan, Colombia, and Peru. Negotiations have also concluded on a yet to be ratified Canada-Honduras trade deal. There are a further 12 deals on the table, including talks between Canada and the European Union, India, Japan, Korea and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
“You’re going to see some issues that are going to be much more focused on international and bilateral trade, and some of the trade deals that have happened in the past and are coming together,” said Mr. Capobianco.
Mr. Baran said Senate reform is likely to be featured prominently in the throne speech, following a Supreme Court reference.
Pipeline politics, and what they mean for Canada’s energy and economic security, will also continue to be an issue, he added.
Mr. Capobianco said it’s still too early to tell what new policies there will be in the throne speech, but noted that with the appointment of well-regarded minister James Moore (Port Moody-Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam, B.C.) to the Industry portfolio, and considering the high-profile fight between the government and Canada’s large telecommunications companies about letting American company Verizon into the cellular phone market, this could signal the issue has a new level of importance for the government.
Alongside the economy, the family will likely be a theme in the throne speech, said Jim Armour, vice-president of Summa Strategies and former Conservative staffer.
“You saw a little bit on that from Peter MacKay talking about anti-bullying legislation, Minister Ambrose was talking in her speech to the Canadian Medial Association about cracking down on family violence,” he explained.
“The throne speech, in some ways, is all about setting the stage for the next 18 months, and will kind of serve as the script for everybody in the government, and the MPs as well,” said Mr. Armour.
Indicators as to whether the government is successful in using this throne speech to refresh its agenda in Parliament and in the eyes of Canadians will be in the polls and the reviews from the press and pundits, noted Mr. Armour.
But in the end, he said, “the ultimate test will be the election in 2015.”
Original Article
Source: hilltimes.com
Author: JESSICA BRUNO
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