OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Paul Martin will unveil his plan for the country in a throne speech Feb. 2 that he says will be an "ambitious" new policy agenda. But some of the most high-profile items on that agenda are anything but new.
Martin said yesterday he'll recall Parliament to table his government's plans.
They will include reintroducing several pieces of old legislation, including bills to decriminalize marijuana, create an independent ethics commissioner, change electoral boundaries and change patent legislation to permit the export of drugs to help fight AIDS in Africa.
Although Martin said he will proceed with the controversial pot bill, it's expected to be watered down by lowering the amount of marijuana a person would be able to possess without facing criminal penalties.
Martin was sworn in Dec. 12 and has vowed to put his own stamp on government in time for an election expected as early as April.
But much of the coming parliamentary session will be dedicated to tying up loose ends from the Jean Chretien era.
One of the biggest question marks has been the $1-billion gun registry, which raised the ire of critics after mushrooming from an initial projected cost of just $2 million.
Martin said he stands by the registry, but will rein in costs.
"Let me be very clear: We are committed to gun control and we are committed to the registration of weapons," Martin said during a two-day meeting of the Liberal caucus.
"Unfortunately that $1 billion has been spent . . . but there are ongoing costs, ongoing problems with the system, and we've really got to have those costs contained."
Media reports yesterday said the government plans to significantly alter the registry to appeal to Western Canada.
Among changes reportedly being considered are reallocation of some of the registry's financing to other areas, such as policing or security at borders where illegal guns enter Canada from the U.S.
The new cabinet will discuss elements of the throne speech Friday after two days of meetings with backbench MPs.
MPs have already been warned that expensive new initiatives would come mainly after an election because this year's finances are tight.
Martin has softened a promise to provide municipalities with part of the $4.8 million raised annually by the federal gasoline tax. He said cities still deserve more money but added the details have yet to be worked out.
"Everybody supports the absolute necessity of a new deal for our municipalities. The mechanisms and the timing -- the how and the when -- that's what remains to be determined."
The opposition Canadian Alliance said Martin could save money by simply scrapping the gun registry.
In a news release, the Alliance noted the throne speech falls on Groundhog Day and joked that it's "time Mr. Martin pops out of his hole and cancels this faulty program."
