CCVO's Reflection on the Recent Throne Speech

By Alexa Briggs, CCVO Director, Policy & Research

Alberta’s Speech from the Throne was delivered yesterday by the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, the Honourable Salma Lakhani, and the CCVO team was there to hear about the government’s priorities and to make sure we continue to meet with elected officials to let them know that our essential sector remains ready and willing partners in addressing challenges and seizing opportunities for Albertans. 

If you have never been to a Throne Speech and would like to attend, ask your MLA, your Minister, or Opposition Critic for an invitation to experience the event in person! The speeches themselves may not always be that lively, sure, and you can always get the text of the speech online. But there is nothing like being in the room to witness the pomp and circumstance, to see the tradition, and to revere in democracy. There is a measure of respect for the institution, imperfect as it may be, that one can only really feel by showing up to the Legislature for something as traditional as a Throne Speech. And it’s certainly a bonus to attend the legislature with a Speaker like Nathan Cooper who clearly recognizes the value of that role and approaches the job with the respect and high regard that it deserves. He took the time yesterday to acknowledge the growing diversity of representation among MLAs, as well as the remarkable fact that Alberta now has the largest ever opposition caucus with 38 of 87 members. A strong democracy relies on both the government benches as well as opposition. Both have important and vital functions to play, and I was pleased to discuss the importance of the nonprofit sector with Minister Tanya Fir (Arts, Culture, and Status of Women) and Joe Ceci (NDP Critic for Arts and Culture).  

The speech itself contained few surprises with key areas of focus for this new government: provincial and federal jurisdiction, energy, affordability, housing, public safety, education, and healthcare. We have created a resource with contact information for Ministers and Critics, should you wish to reach out to the one that your nonprofit works most closely with to discuss anything within the Throne Speech that is of notable interest or relevance to your organization, or, to try and secure that seat for the next Throne Speech.