Canada faces a “critical moment” as the system of global trade that helped it prosper undergoes a shift, King Charles said during the speech from the throne in the Senate on Tuesday.
The speech from the throne, which lays out the federal government’s policy agenda, officially opened the new Parliament following the April election. This is the first time that a sitting monarch has delivered the throne speech since 1977.
The King said Canada faces “unprecedented challenges” as relationships with key allies come under pressure.
While the world is now “a more dangerous and uncertain place” than at any point since the Second World War, Canada has an opportunity to implement the largest transformation of its economy since the war, he said.
In light of Canada’s changing relationship with the U.S., the King said Canada is strengthening relationships with reliable trading partners and allies, citing the G7 summit which convenes in Alberta next month.
“All Canadians can give themselves far more than any foreign power on any continent can ever take away,” he said. “Canada has what the world needs, and the values the world respects.”
The federal government “will introduce legislation to remove all remaining federal barriers to internal trade and labour mobility by Canada Day,” the King said. “By removing these barriers that have held back our economy, we will unleash a new era of growth that will ensure we don’t just survive ongoing trade wars, but emerge from them stronger than ever.”
The speech was drafted by the federal government in collaboration with the palace.
With files from The Canadian Press.