Will the throne speech help Stephen Harper ‘change the channel’ on the Senate expense scandal?

There was a hope — within Tory circles — that Wednesday's Speech from the Throne would help 'change the channel' on the on-going expense scandal.

As of now, the overwhelming consensus seems to be that didn't happen.

As expected, the Speech — titled Seize Canada's Moment — included several consumer-first agenda items: The Tories say that they will introduce legislation that 'debundles' cable channels, that sets caps on cellular phone roaming charges and that bars companies from charging consumers extra money to receive paper bills.

The speech also included balanced-budget legislation and claimed that the Canada-European Union free trade agreement is in the offing.

[ Related: Harper government ‘resets’ with throne speech promising balanced-budget law, consumer-first measures ]

NDP leader Thomas Mulcair says that the speech won't 'change the channel' on the ongoing Senate expense scandal.

"For seven years they’ve failed to take action to help consumers, so today’s words ring hollow to Canadians," Mulcair said in a press release.

"This is the same tired government mired in ethical scandals – and now trying to use consumer issues to hide their inaction, misconduct and economic mismanagement."

Mulcair contends that many of the policies are actually stolen from the NDP.

"Canadians can see through these cynical Conservatives tactics. They know only New Democrats can be trusted to put everyday Canadians first and give the middle-class a fair break," he said.

[ Related: Opposition set to attack Tories on Senate expense scandals as Parliament resumes ]

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau says that the speech was "disappointing" and "more of the same."

"This throne speech just doesn't cut it. The fact is that there's no plan for Canada in this speech, there's no vision as to how we're really going to help people to deal with their debts to deal with the education of their children," he told reporters.

"It's fine for the government to start talking about citizens and consumer after eight years...but the measures that they've brought forward are not things that are really going to make any difference for the vast majority of middle class Canadians that are really suffering out there."

[ Related: NDP MP Don Davies regrets Twitter misfire after threat at Parliament Hill ]

Long-time analysts and pundits weren't impressed with the speech either.

CBC News' Evan Solomon said that the speech was lighter than he expected.

"There is not that big idea here," he told The National's Peter Mansbridge.

"Was this going to justify the big reset?

"There's a lot of pages but there's not as much new big ticket big issues items in here."

With no "big ticket items" you have to believe that the opposition parties, the media and more importantly the public will refocus their attention on the ongoing scandals.

Unfortunately, for the Conservatives, the Senate will be the key issues inside and outside the House after a long summer break and even a prorogation.

And — with regular updates about the ongoing RCMP investigations, potential charges being laid, a chance of long drawn-out court cases and the upcoming audit of all Senators — things are bound to get worse before they get better for the Tories.

No — the channel has not been changed.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

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