Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s reset of federal priorities to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic begins Wednesday with the minority Liberal government’s speech from the throne.
At 2pm, Governor General Julie Payette begins a nearly hour-long speech expected to address three areas; immediate action to push back against a second wave of the pandemic, supports for those who still have not recovered after the first wave, and how the economy might be further rebuilt during the recovery stage.
It was a topic of discussion with our strategy panel on Zoomer Radio’s Fight Back with Libby Znaimer.
Liberal strategist Charles Bird believes that childcare and elder care will be priorities in the throne speech, along with what the government is going to have to do about the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.
“There’s going to have to be a significant redesign of employment insurance, there’s likely going to be a Canada recovery benefit, there’s likely going to be a Canada recovery sickness benefit, there’s likely going to be a Canada recovery caregiving benefit as well, because are things that have to happen, because if they don’t, people will be falling through the cracks by the hundreds of thousands,” Bird explained.
Listen to Libby’s full conversation with Fight Back’s Strategy Panel of Charles Bird, John Capobianco and Karen Stintz by clicking here.
The federal plan comes as public health experts are warning Canada is but a few house parties away from plunging into a full blown second wave.

The prime minister is expected to address the crisis in a televised address Wednesday evening at 6:30.