With the Liberals poised to cast the deciding vote on the future of the Conservative minority government, Liberal deputy leader Michael Ignatieff said his party will do what it considers in the best national interest of the country.

Ignatieff spoke moments after Governor General Michaëlle Jean delivered the 16-page throne speech Tuesday evening, opening the fall session of Parliament.

While he didn't say whether the party would support the speech, he did say it was "disappointing." 

Liberal party deputy leader Michael Ignatieff reacts to the throne speech Tuesday evening.
(CBC)

"We are looking at what we think of as a disappointing speech, a vague speech," Ignatieff said.

"I don't see poisoned pills here, I see studied ambiguity."

Some observers had predicted that some of the policies outlined in the throne speech would be "poison pills" for opposition parties — policies that opposition MPs are so set against that they would either have to vote against them, or possibly embarrass themselves politically with their supporters.

Dion slams speech

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, who will announce the party's position on Wednesday, slammed the speech for its failure to strive to meet Kyoto targets and its "shocking indifference" to poverty.

"The worst of it … is of course the weakness of everything they are proposing for the environment and climate change," said Dion.

Dion said he would consult MPs before announcing whether the party would support the throne speech, but said Canadians "don't want a third election in three years and a half."

NDP Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe quickly said their parties will not support the speech. The two parties together have 79 seats, not enough to topple Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority government.

'Electioned out'

Dion has repeatedly called for four main issues to be addressed: ending Canada's combat role in Afghanistan by February 2009, creating a greener federal policy, improving the fight against poverty and strengthening the country's industrial sector.

Ignatieff said the party will "calmly and soberly" study whether the government's plans, outlined in the speech, meet the needs of Canadians and will act like a "responsible opposition."

"I don't think Canadians want an election. This is a country that is electioned out," he said.

"We're the only party of the opposition that can form a government. We have responsibilities here. We have to … look at this speech, look at it carefully and come to some conclusions about whether it's in the national interest."

Liberals feel the speech doesn't address a number of key issues, including climate change, child poverty and economic growth, he said. 

Ottawa wrong on Afghanistan: NDP, BQ

Layton said he can't support the speech because of the government's position on Afghanistan. The NDP has called for an immediate withdrawal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan and an aggressive policy to tackle climate change.

Tuesday's throne speech calls for a debate on the mission to Afghanistan and an extension until 2011 to train the Afghan army and police.

"The government is taking the country in the wrong direction on Afghanistan," Layton said.

NDP Leader Jack Layton talks about the Conservative government's throne speech Tuesday evening.
(CBC)

Duceppe echoed Layton's comments on the mission.

"I can't support it. Not only are they not proposing to end the mission, they're talking about staying there and putting more money into the military," he said.

Ignatieff said the throne speech didn't clarify whether the proposed extension of the Afghan mission by two years includes a combat role or will be focused on training and development.

"There's a shell game on Afghanistan here," he said.

If all 304 sitting MPs show up and vote on the throne speech after a debate in the House of Commons, which is scheduled to last six days, the Conservatives will need at least one other party on their side to win a majority.

Some political observers believe that the Liberal front bench — Dion and his shadow cabinet — will vote against the throne speech and that the backbenchers will either abstain or not show up, which would allow the throne speech to pass.