TORONTO, OCTOBER 15, 2013 – With the Legislature resuming for the fall session, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives will set out their agenda leading up to the next federal election in 2015 in tomorrow’s Speech from the Throne.
The speech is expected to focus on Canada’s economic future and include a strong focus on consumer issues, such as an air passenger bill of rights, reducing cellphone costs, and a pick-and-pay model for television channels.
Observers note the Conservatives’ bedrock issues of job creation and cracking down on crime are also likely to be addressed, as well as a renewed commitment to First Nations education and employment.
York University’s leading experts in the fields of political science, public policy, and economics can provide key context to many of the topics to be covered in the throne speech and also offer an informed forecast on the future implications of the federal government’s proposed agenda. Members of the media can contact faculty directly by phone, e-mail or through the media relations office.
NOTE: York U media studio is available for double-ended broadcast interviews.
The following York experts are available to comment on various aspects of the throne speech:
Telecoms, Airlines, Corporate governance, Financial institutions; Competition, Competition policy and Strategy: Fred Lazar, associate professor of Economics, Schulich School of Business.
Employment, Retirement, Public policy: Professor Thomas Klassen, Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy and Administration.
Economic policy, Income inequality, Old-age security: Andrew Jackson, Packer Visiting Professorship in Social Justice, Department of Political Science.
Political strategy, Impact on voters, Throne Speech’s positioning in lead-up to 2015 election: Associate Professor Dennis Pilon, Department of Political Science.
Consumer ethics: Andrew Crane, George R. Gardiner Professor of Business Ethics and director of the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business, Schulich School of Business.
Pension reform: Moshe Milevsky, associate professor of Finance, Schulich School of Business.
Taxation/Income splitting: Amin Mawani, associate professor of Accounting, Schulich School of Business.
Small/mid-sized businesses, Global competitiveness: Lorna Wright, director of the Centre for Global Enterprise, EDC Professorship in International Business,
Schulich School of Business.
CBC, Cable TV Industry: Douglas Barrett, professor of Broadcast Management, Schulich School of Business.
Consumer Activism: Markus Giesler, associate professor of Marketing, Schulich School of Business.
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Media Contact: Tabassum Siddiqui, York University Media Relations, 416 736 2100 ext. 44543, tsiddiq@yorku.ca
