The Speech From the Throne: A New Century of Canadian Achievement

On June 2, 1997, the people of Canada renewed the mandate of our Liberal government. They made a choice based upon competing values and visions, as well as an assessment of our accomplishments in our first mandate. They chose the Liberal plan because it is closest to their own priorities and vision for Canada's future.

We are proud of our achievements in our first mandate, and honoured that the people of Canada judged us worthy of a renewed majority mandate.

We will fulfill the commitments we made to Canadians in our election platform: Securing Our Future Together.

We will make the most of this unique and historic opportunity to provide leadership on national issues to secure the future for Canadians.

NEW OPTIMISM FOR A NEW CENTURY

Our second mandate begins at an historic crossroads for Canada and the world. A new century - a new millennium - beckons.

For the first time in almost three decades, the Government of Canada will not have to deal with a crushing deficit. We have regained our ability to address the priorities of Canadians while living within our means.

As the new century dawns, there is a new optimism growing in Canada. Canadians are more confident about their future and that of their country than they have been in a very long time. It is an optimism born of having made great strides in restoring our economy and, as a result, improving our capacity to make choices as a nation.

We have the resources to show leadership on national issues. But we also know that governing effectively in the 21^st century means that no government can act alone.

Canadians want their governments to work together in partnership. We are committed to working in collaboration with all of our partners - the provinces and territories, the private sector, the non-profit and voluntary sectors and individual Canadians - to make the country work better to meet the needs of Canadians.

Making the federation work better is the key to securing our common future. It allows us to multiply our strengths by combining our talents, and to pool our resources so that we can share risks and fulfill national goals. It also gives us the flexibility we need to experiment and innovate in order to succeed in a rapidly changing world.