His Majesty King Charles III delivered the Speech from the Throne in the Senate of Canada, pledging that the Carney government would uphold the CBC and tackle climate change, among other priorities.
The speech began with a land acknowledgement to the Algonquin and Anishinaabeg people and expressed the need to work towards truth and reconciliation.
“I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg people,” said King Charles.
“While continuing to deepen my own understanding, it is my great hope a path is found toward truth and reconciliation, in both word and deed.”
The King’s speech represents the third time in all of Canadian history and the first time since 1977 that Canada’s sovereign delivered the Throne Speech.
The speech, written by Carney’s advisors, presented a sweeping overview of global instability, climate policy, and multiculturalism.
“While the world faces unprecedented challenges, generating uncertainties across the continents with regards to peace and stability, economics, and climate change, your communities have the skills and determination to bring a wealth of solutions,” said King Charles.
Additionally, the king highlighted multiculturalism and how Canada has accepted refugees “from some of the most tragic global conflict zones.”
On the CBC, King Charles stated that the Carney government was “determined to protect the institutions that bring these cultures and this identity to the world, like CBC/Radio-Canada.”
The King talked about a changing world with threats to global stability and the need to create a new Canadian economy and strengthen partnerships with like-minded countries, as Carney had repeated on the campaign trail.
The King touted the Carney government’s promise to cut the income tax for the lowest quintile by 1 per cent, eliminate the GST for first-time homebuyers for homes under $1 million, and eliminate all federal interprovincial trade barriers before Canada Day.
“The government’s overarching goal, its core mission, is to build the strongest economy in the G7,” said King Charles.
The King’s speech also claimed that the Carney government would establish a new federal department dedicated to achieving the goal of “one project, one review” and reducing the average time to approve major infrastructure projects from five years to two.
The King repeated Carney’s promise to double the rate of home construction, driving this acceleration through a new government department called “Build Canada Homes.”
It was also promised that the Carney government would limit the number of temporary foreign workers and international students to less than five per cent of the population. Canada’s current population sits at 40 million people, five per cent of which would be two million people per year.
Notably, the King did not mention U.S. President Donald Trump’s 51st state comments, tariffs from the United States, or the need to decouple Canadian economic and defence policy from America. However, the speech did include a promise to introduce legislation to strengthen security at Canada’s southern border.
Prior to the speech, ministers in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s British government urged Carney not to drag King Charles into any controversy regarding U.S. President Donald Trump and his repeated comments about making Canada the 51st American state.
“The Prime Minister and the President of the United States, for example, have begun defining a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the U.S., rooted in mutual respect and founded on common interests, to deliver transformational benefits for both sovereign nations,” said King Charles.
“In parallel, the Government is working to strengthen its relationships with reliable trading partners and allies around the world, recognizing that Canada has what the world needs and the values the world respects.”
The House of Commons is set to reconvene to debate the merits of the Throne Speech and will hold a confidence vote in the Carney government to affirm or deny the speech and the government’s priorities.
Dignitaries who were invited to watch the speech include all Senators, Supreme Court Justices, former prime ministers Justin Trudeau, Stephen Harper, and Kim Campbell, and the 343 members of Parliament.