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The Making of the Speech from the Throne

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The Making of the Speech from the Throne 7 Prime Minister Harper and Governor General David Johnston in conversation before the 2011 Speech from the Throne. No event engages the government like a throne speech. PMO photo he Government of Canada The Making of Challenger soared over north- T western Ontario. There were only two passengers, Brian Mulroney and me. It was the fall of 1986 and the Speech From the prime minister was on his way to Saskatchewan to meet with Premier Grant Devine to discuss some difficult the Throne agricultural issues. I was on the flight as one of the PM’s policy staff but for Geoff Norquay another purpose as well. There was a new session of Parliament about to open, and the PM had asked me to The Speech from the Throne is a critical element of the Brit- bring the final draft Speech from the ish parliamentary tradition; it contains the agenda of the Throne (SFT) with me. It was time for the last “snake check” and the final government for a new session of Parliament – the priorities, sign-off before the speech went off to the issues and the directions – in other words, the narrative the printer, and we would do that on of governing. At the beginning of a newly-elected govern- the flight west. I knew the SFT process well. I had ment, it outlines a set of departures from the previous gov- been the principal writer for the first ernment’s agenda. In the middle of a mandate, it can also Mulroney government throne speech rejuvenate a tired or flagging agenda, and help put a “new in 1984 and knew it was complex, with as many as 40-50 successive face on the old crowd.” And, overall, an SFT galvanizes the drafts and numerous hands on the bureaucracy more than any other event. Except of course, pen along the way. Inspired by the platform that had elected us in 1984, for an actual change in government. the overall political narrative and the basic framework originated with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), but after that, there were scores of one- on-one consultations and negotia- September/October 2013 8 tions with ministers and their policy Throne speeches are a critical element of the British staff to find the right content and parliamentary tradition; they contain the agenda of the nuance as the speech developed. Suc- cessive drafts bounced back and forth government for a new session of Parliament – the priorities, between PMO and the various groups the issues and the directions – in other words, the narrative in the Privy Council Office (PCO) and of governing. the Federal-Provincial Relations Of- fice for their expert advice, and every four letters and passed the page across challenges of public policy are broadly few days, the latest draft would go to the PM. A huge laugh resulted. known, the trick is always to find the up to the PM for his input and direc- right balance between the major ob- I never did find out who it was that tion. Mulroney is a gifted writer, and jectives the government has already got to name the new agency, but I he took this seriously; he constantly been pursuing and the new direc- do know that that is how the Atlan- challenged us to say it more elegantly, tions it wishes to take. In positioning tic Canada Opportunities Agency – more completely, more accurately. He new directions as logical outcomes of ACOA – was born. worried over every word. well-worn paths, governments tend The drafting process for the 1986 SFT to step on their own message. As a was no different, except that my col- hrone speeches are a critical result, throne speeches are usually league L. Ian MacDonald, from the element of the British parlia- proclaimed to be a disappointment by PMO communications group had T mentary tradition; they con- the media: “Nothing much new here; the pen, and so far, I had not really tain the agenda of the government for no surprises; no grand vision for the been that intimately involved. So a new session of Parliament – the pri- future; no radical departures; business here I was with the PM in the Chal- orities, the issues and the directions as usual.” lenger, reading the speech for the fi- – in other words, the narrative of gov- nal time, page by page, paragraph by erning. SFTs can serve other purposes paragraph, word by word, checking as well. At the beginning of a newly- Since the key challenges of flow, phrasing, meaning and tone. At elected government, they signal a public policy are broadly a certain point, I began to get the un- new beginning and a set of departures known, the trick is always easy feeling that perhaps I had missed from the previous government’s agen- something, so I went back a few pages da. In the middle of a mandate, they to find the right balance to revisit the earlier text. can also serve to rejuvenate a tired or between the major objectives flagging agenda, and help put a “new In the months leading up to the fall of the government has already 1986, we had promised to provide new face on the old crowd.” been pursuing and the new directions to regional development One of the key impacts of a throne directions it wishes to take. in Canada, and had decided to create speech is the “mobilization” of the new economic development agencies various departments of government. for both Atlantic and Western Can- When the message goes out from PMO As a government at mid-term, the ada. Through successive drafts of the to ministers and from PCO to deputy Harper Conservatives have estab- speech, I had seen that various folks ministers that an SFT is in the works, lished some hallmarks through which throughout the system had tried their the ideas flow in to the centre. They they have become known: competent hand at naming the new agencies and may be specific or general, and legisla- economic management, trade expan- that the names kept changing with tive, programmatic or policy oriented. sion, a more independent and ro- each new draft. I hadn’t really paid it They may adjust or fine-tune old pro- bust foreign policy, re-equipping the that much attention until the uneasi- grams or propose new ones. armed forces, and many “tough on ness struck that day on the plane. crime” initiatives. At the same time, There is often a fair amount of compe- however, many of the priorities out- I found the paragraph, and here is tition for the attention of the PM and what it said: lined in their first majority govern- cabinet. Every department wants to ment SFT have already been achieved, “As a first step in achieving have its piece of the new action that or are in the hands of others; the improved results from this sus- is represented by a throne speech. In Canada-Europe Comprehensive Eco- tained national approach, an addition, to the extent that they set nomic and Trade Agreement (CETA) Atlantic Canada Development new priorities, or raise lower ones and the Keystone XL Pipeline are two Corporation will be constituted to higher status, SFTs often require prominent examples. So what might to facilitate and coordinate all the reallocation of fiscal and staff re- be the content of a renewal narrative? federal development initiatives sources within departments to meet What are the key issues we can expect in the area.” new circumstances and pursue new the throne speech to address? objectives. Overall, an SFT galvanizes Staring at the words, it finally struck the bureaucracy more than any other me. We were about to announce a espite the political challenges event, except of course, for an actual new agency and the obvious acronym faced by Stephen Harper in change in government. by which it would instantly be known D May and June, summer polls was “AC-DC”. This carried certain SFTs nearly always contain an internal confirmed that he still retained a solid sexual undertones that would have inconsistency, a battle between conti- lead over his two opposition rivals in instantly made us the laughingstock nuity and departure, between same- the public’s rating of capability on of the western world. I underlined the ness and innovation. Since the key economic issues. Harper still stands at Policy 9 the delays on the approval of the Key- stone XL pipeline to the US Gulf of Mexico, and opposition to the Gate- way Pipeline across northern British Columbia. The primary objective is to get Canadian oil and gas to “tidewa- ter” – in any direction – from western Canada to the southern US, from the west to the east within Canada, and from Alberta through BC to the Pa- cific. The environmental review of the Gateway pipeline is not due until the end of the year. Expect commitments Governor General Johnston reading his first throne speech. With his second one this fall, written by the of federal support to facilitate all of Prime Minister’s Office, the Harper government hopes it can brreak out of its spring slump. PMO photo these major capital projects. The throne speech will likely address 40 per cent approval on the economy, Kenney now inherits the all- the long-promised federal green- while Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau house gas regulations for the oil and trails at 21 per cent, with NDP Leader important skills file. He must make the new Canada Job gas sector. If they are already out by Tom Mulcair at 14 per cent. then, expect the federal government We should therefore expect a throne Grant program work with the to signal its desire to seek equivalency speech that is long on fiscal prudence provinces, and continue efforts agreements with provinces wherever and economic management, because to encourage the provinces practical.
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