New Parliament session begins

» Speech from the throne discusses top five agendas of Liberal government

Mercedes Deutscher News Editor © news@theotherpress.ca

arliament resumed on December 4 for the first time since July.

There was an aura of optimism in Parliament, as the general public was invited to witness the first session.

Governor creation, more General affordable David “Canada succeeds in post-secondary : Johnston education, delivered a large part because investment speech from let=sa= diverse in public : the throne ’ transportation, : to kick off perspectives Fvalel and the : the new different opinions creation of a government. new health Johnston are celebrated, not accord. welcomed 5 ” Digging new and silenced. further into returning — Governor General government members of ; reform, the Parliament. David Johnston. second agenda

“Canada discussed succeeds abolishing

in large part because here, diverse perspectives and different opinions are celebrated, not silenced,” Johnston stated in his speech, cited by the Canadian Press. The speech reconfirmed many of the promises given by Trudeau and the Liberals during their election campaign, with a specific focus on five different agendas.

The first agenda covered

: assistance for middle class

: Canadians, which has been

: speculated as the first legislative : action to be taken in Parliament : since Trudeau was sworn in as : : Prime Minister in November. The : : actions taken to help the middle- : : class include tax cuts, increased

: funding to both child benefit and : pension plans, public growth, job

: the first-past-the-post electoral: : system and reforming the Senate. : : : relations between the federal

: government and the indigenous : populations, placing the inquiry : into the missing and murdered

: women as a top priority in

: repairing the relations. Other

: groups mentioned within the

: fourth agenda were Syrian

: refugees, veterans, and the CBC.

Environment and economy

: fell under the third agenda,

: which promised a future where

: the two don’t compete, but

: rather co-exist. Investment in

: clean energy technology, carbon : taxes, and a new environmental : review process were mentioned.

The fourth agenda is

improving relationships amongst

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the many demographics that : occupy Canada. The Liberal

government promised increased

The final agenda discussed

bs r h

: internal and external security.

In regard to internal

: security, Johnson said: “To

: that end, the government will

: introduce legislation that will

: provide greater support for

: survivors of domestic violence : and sexual assault; that will

: get handguns and assault

: weapons off our streets; and

: that will legalize, regulate, and : restrict access to marijuana.”

External security policies

Image of David Johnson via www.patl.ge.ca

A

: appeared to come froma

: perspective of peacekeeping.

: A renewal of Canada’s

: peacekeeping relations to the UN : is to be prioritized. The speech

: also assured that Canada will

: stand by its allies in the fight against terrorism. In regard

: tothe military, the agenda

: mentioned wiser spending that

: will lead to “a leaner, more agile, : better-equipped military.”

Mark Zuckerberg donates 99 per cent of fortune

» Chan Zuckerberg Initiative means to help future generations

Mercedes Deutscher News Editor M news@theotherpress.ca

Mis Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, and his wife, Pricilla Chan, have decided to donate gg per cent of their Facebook shares—around $45 billion—to a new organization of their founding called the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative aims to create a better world for future generations by

investing in projects that promote :

universal equality, as well as human advancement. In regard

to equality, the initiative strives to :

end poverty, empower minorities and women, and increase access to basic social services such as healthcare and education. The initiative also aims to increase the number of advancements in medicine, create a world where all people are connected by ensuring Internet access to all, utilize clean energy globally, and improve common knowledge

to include entrepreneurship.

Zuckerberg wrote in a

: document describing the

: initiative, which was formulated : asa letter to their infant daughter, : : Max: “Today your mother and

: I are committing to spend our

: lives doing our small part to help : solve these challenges. I will

: continue to serve as Facebook's

: CEO for many, many years to

: come, but these issues are too : important to wait until you or : we are older to begin this work.

By starting at a young age,

: we hope to see compounding : benefits throughout out lives.”

Although many are praising

Zuckerberg and Chan for the : donation, some have been critical : : of the sudden act of kindness.

“It’s another company,’ said

possible charitable grants that

: it makes from the L.L.C. But it’s

: actually under no obligation to make any grants to a non-

: profit or a charitable recipient : atall because it’s an L.L.C

: (limited liability corporation).”

Yet others have

: come to defend and show : optimism towards the Chan : Zuckerberg Initiative.

Gene Takagi, an attorney

: that specializes in working with : non-profit organizations, told

;} CBC: “Those funds are forever 2: dedicated to charitable purposes : : and, froma public perspective,

: that’s much more trustworthy.”

Zuckerberg will now join

@ : the ranks of billionaires known |} to engage in philanthropic

: endeavours. Zuckerberg and Chan are included amongst

: Linsey McGoey, a sociologist who : several of the world’s wealthiest

: writes on philanthropy, to CBC. : “It’s an investment vehicle. It will : : in some respects be subjected

: to tax if it earns revenue, but it

: will be able to off-set those tax

: liabilities through deducting any

: who have commit themselves to

: the Giving Pledge—a pledge that : involves most of their fortune.

: The Giving Pledge was founded

: by Bill and Melinda Gates, who

: also founded the Bill and Melinda : Gates Foundation, which works

: to lift people out of poverty

: through an improved education.