Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean reads the throne speech in the Senate chamber, beginning the second session of the 39th Parliament, Oct. 16, 2007 in Ottawa. (Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean reads the throne speech in the Senate chamber, beginning the second session of the 39th Parliament, Oct. 16, 2007 in Ottawa. (Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)

It is a day of pomp and ceremony, of Mounties in full dress, the horse-drawn carriage for the Queen's representative and, of course, the estimable Usher of the Black Rod.

We are talking about the opening of a new parliamentary session, whether the federal Parliament in Ottawa or any of the legislative assemblies in the provinces and territories. And we are talking about the speech from the throne.

Canada is a constitutional monarchy and Queen Elizabeth is Canada's head of state. The Queen's representative is the Governor General. The Queen's representatives in the provinces are lieutenant-governors and in the territories, commissioners.

The speech sets out the broad goals of the government and how it intends to accomplish these goals. Government thinkers and a battalion of speechwriters spend weeks detailing and refining its content.

It is called the speech from the throne because the Governor General delivers it in the Senate chamber while seated in a chair-throne of oak and scarlet velour reserved for the head of state or her representative.

Occasionally, the speech from the throne actually is delivered by the reigning queen or king. This nearly happened on Sept. 30, 2002, because Queen Elizabeth was arriving in Canada to celebrate her Jubilee year the same week as the throne speech, but she was to arrive four days late, so then Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson once again had to sit in for her.

The 'royal summons'

Parliament consists of the sovereign and members of the Senate and House of Commons. By tradition, Parliament meets only at the "royal summons" of the monarch.

The Senate and House of Commons cannot open a parliamentary session by their own authority. There are also certain formalities that must followed.

Here's how it goes:

  • The House of Commons assembles prior to the formal opening of Parliament. For the opening of a new session of Parliament, the clerk of the House leads MPs to the Senate where they are told a Speaker must be elected before the speech from the throne can be delivered.
  • About an hour before the throne speech, the Governor General leaves her official residence at Rideau Hall and clip-clops in a horse-drawn landau for Parliament Hill, accompanied by four Mounties in full dress uniform.
  • At the steps of the Centre Block, the Governor General inspects a Canadian Forces honour guard as a 21-gun salute thunders in the distance to honour the Queen's representative.
  • The prime minister formally greets the Governor General, then everybody — the PM, the Governor General, their spouses, the chief of defence staff, the commissioner of the RCMP — heads to the Senate chamber.
  • The throne speech must be delivered in the Senate because the Governor General and senators are not allowed to enter the House of Commons. This is because the Canadian Parliament is modelled on the British parliamentary system, with an appointed Senate and an elected House of Commons.
  • Now comes the big moment for the Usher of the Black Rod. He leads the dignitaries in solemn procession to the Senate, first knocking on the door of the House of Commons, which is opened by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House, who then asks the Speaker of the House if it's OK to let Black Rod inside.
  • The Usher's black rod is ebony, topped with a sculpted gold lion.
  • The Sergeant-at-Arms picks up the parliamentary mace and escorts the Black Rod in.
  • Everybody then leaves for the Senate to listen to the speech from the throne.
Throne speech: Quick facts

What is it?

The throne speech is read to all members of the House of Commons and Senate at the beginning of a new session of Parliament. It is delivered in the Senate chamber.

Why does it matter?

Basically, the speech from the throne sets down a government blueprint for the coming months. It details which topics the government wants to address and which laws will be tabled.

Who delivers it?

The Governor General reads the speech, but the prime minister and his or her cabinet traditionally write the draft.

Why the Governor General?

Formally, Parliament sits at the pleasure of the king or queen. So, in Britain, the monarch reads the throne speech from an actual throne in the House of Lords. The Governor General, the Queen's representative in Canada, takes that role in this country.

What happens afterward?

Right after the speech, an MP selected by the prime minister rises in the House of Commons to thank the Governor General and deliver a government reply. Another MP, also of the prime minister's choosing, seconds it.

That kicks off six days of additional debate in the House. The leader of the Official Opposition makes a speech and moves an amendment to the government's reply, and the other opposition parties enter the fray.

Debate continues, with votes required at the end of the second, fourth and sixth days to determine confidence in the government and the speech. If the government were to lose one of these votes, it would fall and an election would be called.
Sources: Canadian Encyclopedia, Government of Canada