Education, health advisory groups promised in throne speech

The first throne speech from a P.E.I. government under Premier Wade MacLauchlan is promising a new era of engagement, including new advisory bodies for health and education in the province.

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"My government will take action on several fronts to give Islanders and communities a greater voice," the throne speech reads.

The advisory boards will be organized in regional districts and work closely with provincial departments, the throne speech says.

'Accountability, accessibility, transparency, responsiveness'

The advisory bodies are part of a large basket of measures promised to renew democracy in the province, many of which were outlined by the Liberals in the spring election campaign.

Those measures include:

• A new Municipal Government Act
• A white paper on democratic renewal
• New initiatives around youth and engagement
• New use of technology to communicate with Islanders
• Review of Freedom of Information legislation
• Increased oversight by auditor general
• Living within our means

The throne speech reiterates that the budget will not be balanced in 2015-16, something that was promised by the outgoing government, but which MacLauchlan said during the campaign would have to wait a year.

"Attaining fiscal balance this year will require a range and scope of additional measures that would cause undue hardship," the speech reads.

While "undue hardship" may be avoided, the speech implies some cuts will still be necessary to balance the budget in 2016-17.

The speech says government will avoid revenue growth through tax changes and fee increases, and focus instead on growing the economy.

In terms of economic growth, there is a heavy emphasis on population, and in particular on youth: keeping young people on the Island, convincing former Islanders to move back, and a continued emphasis on immigration.

Poverty reduction

Promises made during the election campaign to help low-income Islanders will be fulfilled during the coming session of the legislature.

Changes to the Income Tax Act will lower taxes for 12,000 Islanders at the bottom of the income tax scale, with more than 2,000 coming off the income tax roles entirely.

There is also a promise of further investment in school breakfast and lunch programs.

The spring session looks to be ambitious, with a long list of new and amended legislation on the agenda.

• Electoral Boundaries Act
• Pharmacy Act
• Tobacco Sales and Access Act
• Smoke-Free Places Act
• Environment Tax Act
• Highway Traffic Act
• Renewable Energy Act
• Provincial Court Act
• Regulated Health Professions Act
• Animal Welfare Act

Read speech from the throne here.