Throne speech zeroes in on taxes, crime, extending Afghan mission

The Conservative government unveiled its top prioritiesfor the upcoming parliamentary session Tuesday night, promising major tax cuts, a voteto extendthe Afghan missionuntil at least 2011 and new crime legislation.

Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean delivered the speech from the throne, which, if defeated in House of Commons, would trigger an election.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has also said if the throne speech passes, he will expect support for the main elementsofthe speechwhen they come forward as legislation. Otherwise, hewill then consider making thoseitems matters ofconfidence on which the government could fall.

NDP Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe said Tuesday their parties will not support the Conservative throne speech. Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion said he will announce his party's position on Wednesday.

In the 16-page, 39-minute speech, portions of which had been leaked earlier,the Tories called for multi-year tax cuts for individuals and businesses, and a one percentage point cut in the GST.

During the last federal election campaign, the Conservatives promised to cut two percentage points from the GST by 2010. The first cut took effect in June 2006. But Ottawa in September announced a $13.8 billion surplus for the fiscal year that ended in March, far above the $9.2 billion surplus projection made in its March budget.

The government pledged to "bring forward a long-term plan of broad-based tax relief for individuals, businesses and families."

The speech said Canada should stay directly involved in Afghanistan until at least 2011.The government will call for a vote on the mission followingthereport bythe advisory panel that was announced last week.

The speech tied Canada's exit strategy to the training of Afghan security forces, including the army and police.

The Tory government said in the speech thatit believes those elements should be able to stand on their own by 2011.The Liberals have called for the combat mission to end by 2009.

"Our Government does not believe that Canada should simply abandon the people of Afghanistan after February 2009," Jean read. "Canada should build on its accomplishments and shift to accelerate the training of the Afghan army and police so that the Afghan government can defend its own sovereignty.

"This will not be completed by February 2009, but our Government believes this objective should be achievable by 2011."

The Conservatives will also introduce anew Tackling Violent Crime bill that will include measures on impaired driving, age of sexual consent, stricter bail conditions, and mandatory prison terms for gun crimes.

All of these measures were in legislation during the first session of Parliament, bills thatHarper will try to revive as one omnibus crime bill.

"Unfortunately much of this legislation did not pass," the speech said. "That is not good enough to maintain the confidence of Canadians."

The crime bill is to be madea matter of confidence, meaning if the opposition votes it down, an election would be triggered.

Conservatives declare Kyoto dead

The government also plans to announce a toughening of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

When it comes to the environment, the government declaredthe Kyoto Protocol and its emissions targets dead.But the speech also said the government will outline more plans for reducing greenhouse gases.

"Canada's emissions cannot be brought to the level required under the Kyoto Protocol within the compliance period which begins … just 77 days from now," said the speech.

Instead, the government will aimto reduce total greenhouse gas emissions 60 to 70 per cent by 2050, with a 20 per cent reduction by 2020.

Theenvironment has been a top priority for Dion, who has consistently called on the government to reaffirm Canada's commitment to the accord's targets for cutting greenhouse gases.

The government will also focus on Arctic sovereignty, with plans to build a world-class Arctic research station and complete comprehensive mapping of Canada’s Arctic seabed.

"Defending our sovereignty in the North also demands that we maintain the capacity to act," Jean read from the speech."New Arctic patrol ships and expanded aerial surveillance will guard Canada’s Far North and the Northwest Passage."

The Conservatives also outlined plans tolimit the government's ability to spend tax dollars on new shared-cost programs in areas of provincial jurisdiction.

This legislation will allow provinces and territories to opt out with reasonable compensation if they offer compatible programs, the government said.

Other priorities outlined in the speech include:

• Acall togrant honorary citizenshipto Burmese dissident Aung San Suu Kyi.
• Astatement of apology for past abuse of aboriginal students at residential schools.

The speech marks the beginning of the fall session in Parliament, after a nearly four-month break that began June 21.

If all 304 sitting MPs show up and vote on the throne speechafter a debate in the House of Commons that is scheduled to last six days, the Conservatives will need at least one other party on their side to win a majority.

Some political observers believe that the Liberal front bench — Dion and his shadow cabinet — will vote against the throne speech and that the backbenchers will either abstain or not show up, which would allow the throne speech to pass.