Monday, December 28, 2015

To fight, or not to fight? Trudeau must tackle these five pressing decisions in 2016


Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made some ambitious promises shortly after sweeping to power, but he will have to lay out his plans for these high-stakes issues in the near future:
1. To fight, or not to fight?
The nature of Canada’s engagement in the coalition to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is the most pressing near-term decision. Trudeau has pledged repeatedly to pull Canada’s CF-18s out by March, but his defence chief, Harjit Sajjan, has been more equivocal about timing.
2. How deep in hock will we go? 
The Liberals have promised to run three deficits of $10 billion in their first three years, but a balanced budget by 2019 and keep the debt-to-GDP ratio on a downward track.
3. Are we climate leaders, climate laggards, or something in between? 
Before the Paris climate conference in November, Trudeau promised new greenhouse-gas-emission reduction targets within 100 days of the conference’s close Dec. 12, a mid-March deadline.
4. The Senate
A new non-partisan appointments process has been sketched out, offering few details as to how it will actually work.
5. Aboriginal issues 
Trudeau has pledged to resolve long-standing aboriginal grievances. An inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women is being convened.

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