OTTAWA, Dec.5 (Xinhua) -- Canada's Liberal government on Thursday unveiled its second-term priorities including climate actions, support for middle class and implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the inaugural session of a new parliament.
The minority government unveiled by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in late November sets a target of net-zero emissions by 2050 and protecting 25 percent of Canada's land and oceans by 2025 as shown in the throne speech outlining the government agenda, which officially opened Canada's 43rd parliament.
The speech titled "Moving Forward Together" was mostly written by Prime Minister's Office and read by Governor General Julie Payette, or representative of Queen Elizabeth II, Canada's head of state.
The new Canadian government set up after the October elections said it will "use nature-based solutions to fight climate change -- including planting 2 million trees to clean the air and make communities greener."
It puts more emphasis on alternatives to fossil fuels, by helping build energy-efficient homes, making zero-emission vehicles more affordable, and making "Canada the best place to start and grow a clean technology company."
On a commitment to getting Canada's resources "to new markets," the speech did not mention the Trans Mountain expansion pipeline project intended to facilitate the transportation of oil from producers to the west coast for shipment to Asian markets.
In delivering Trudeau's campaigning pledges to the middle class, the new Canadian government is expected to "cut taxes for all but the wealthiest Canadians."
Trudeau's new government also proposed initiatives to improve the living standards of the indigenous people in implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including providing safe drinking water for all First Nations communities by 2021.
To toughen gun control, Payette said on Trudeau's behalf that the government" will crack down on gun crime, banning military-style assault rifles and taking steps to introduce a buy-back program."
On trade, the new government said it will explore opportunities for a larger role of "Canadian commerce, ingenuity and enterprise."
On foreign policy, it said it will "build partnerships with like-minded countries to put Canada's expertise to work on a global scale, in areas like the promotion of democracy and human rights, the fight against climate change and for environmental protection, and the development and ethical use of artificial intelligence."
Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer has said he plans to introduce an amendment to the throne speech on Friday, which he said failed to "prepare Canada for a potential economic downturn" and recognize a fact that "billions of dollars of investment have left Canada in the energy sector" for other countries.
