The Trudeau government presented its first Throne Speech last week. On the feature interview, ARPA policy analyst Colin Postma looks at some of the highlights, and what the speech says about the government’s legislative priorities going into 2016. 

In the news, the federal government has asked the Supreme Court for a 6 month delay in the implementation of the decision in the Carter Case. The ruling was supposed to take effect in February, and essentially, this move will give Parliament until next summer to write new legislation to replace or amend the Criminal Code prohibition against doctor-assisted suicide. The delay – if it’s granted – will also give ARPA staff in Ottawa more time to sit down with MPs to explain our position on the case.

Meanwhile, the Quebec Superior Court ruled last week that a new euthanasia law in that province, which was due to take effect this week, will have to be put on hold because it runs counter to the existing federal position on this issue. That ruling is being appealed.

There are concerns that the new federal government may be considering the issue of corporal punishment again. A BC-based lobby group is trying to restart the discussion about a ban on spanking. That has prompted those in favour of traditional disciplinary methods to start a pre-emptive campaign to keep the existing laws in place. They’ve set up a website, and a brochure is being mailed to all federal MPs this month.

Also this week, Mike Schouten from WeNeedaLAW.ca has some thoughts on how Christians are to respond to the shooting near a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Spring last month. Fundamentally, he says, the discussion around the issue comes down to conflicting worldviews about the sanctity of life. (There’s also another excellent op-ed piece on Planned Parenthood’s reaction to the case which isn’t referenced on the program, but which you can read here.)