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Trudeau Promises 1 Million Jobs During Canada's Coronavirus Recovery

Agence France-Presse

   OTTAWA, ONTARIO - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled a
   plan Wednesday to address social inequalities laid bare by the
   coronavirus pandemic and create 1 million jobs during recovery, while
   also extending emergency measures for a second wave of COVID-19.

   In the so-called throne speech, read by Governor General Julie Payette
   at a joint sitting of MPs and senators, Trudeau's government vowed to
   eliminate homelessness, hasten Canada's fight against climate change
   and introduce national child care and pharmacare programs.

   It said it aims in the short term to also restore employment to
   pre-pandemic levels, and both extend and broaden emergency aid measures
   to keep the economy rolling.

   "This is our generation's crossroads," Payette said in the speech.

   "Do we move Canada forward, or let people be left behind? Do we come
   out of this stronger, or paper over the cracks that the crisis has
   exposed?" she said. "This is the opportunity to contain the global
   crisis and build back better, together."

   Infrastructure, training, hiring

   The plan calls for direct infrastructure investment, training to
   quickly equip workers with new skills, and incentives for employers to
   hire and retain workers.

   Exceeding Canada's 2030 carbon emissions reduction target of 30% below
   2005 levels will also be a "cornerstone" of job creation efforts,
   according to the speech.

   "The economic restart," Payette said, "is now well underway."

   "This is not the time for austerity," she said, hinting at additional
   debt-financing for Canada's recovery, alongside taxing "extreme wealth
   inequality."

   "This COVID-19 emergency has had huge costs," Payette said. "But Canada
   would have had a deeper recession and a bigger long-term deficit if the
   government had done less."

   The government, she added, will "do whatever it takes, using whatever
   fiscal firepower is needed to support people and businesses during the
   pandemic."

   'Bold new solutions'

   Wednesday evening, Trudeau was to give a separate and rare televised
   address to the nation to stress the urgency in fighting the pandemic.

   Polling shows most Canadians are satisfied with Trudeau's management of
   the crisis so far. But the "bold new solutions" outlined in the throne
   speech will require Parliament's nod in the coming weeks.

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