Build Canada

It's time to refocus. Canada now has the lowest real GDP per capita growth in the G7. Federal government spending has ballooned 45% over the last decade. Our productivity has stagnated, our debt is climbing, and our economy is under threat from a trade war with the United States. At the same time, services delivered by the federal government are not meeting the standards Canadians expect or deserve. Less than 16% of Canadians feel they get great value from government services. Policy experts, including former senior public servants, have been ringing alarm bells about challenges confronting the public service, highlighting the need for a reset. It's time to refocus. For our federal government, this means re-evaluating programs that may no longer serve Canada's best interests. This process must be done urgently and with transparency. It should be led from within the government by courageous political leaders and with support from our public service. It should be informed by external experts from all parts of our economy and leverage the best talent and technology in the country. The memo below offers some ideas for how to get started. It identifies $35.1B in potential annual program and operational savings. This is nearly 7% of actual spending and over 50% of the latest $62B operating deficit. Implementing this plan would mean making hard choices about priorities. But by making tough decisions now, we can ensure the social programs that Canadians value most – like health care, dental care, child care, children's benefits, and benefits for seniors – remain fully funded, while maintaining our commitment to defence and security. There may be some ideas in here that you disagree with. There are likely things that have been missed. There may be things you’d do differently. That’s okay. The intent is to start the conversation and outline a process and potential opportunities for adjustment that the government can consider. Now is the time for rigorous assessments and tough decisions. Canada’s economy depends on it. The full memo: https://lnkd.in/gdne2-PM Line-by-line analysis: https://lnkd.in/gXGB8MEU

It's time to refocus. Canada now has the lowest real GDP per capita growth in the G7. Federal government spending has ballooned 45% over the last decade. Our productivity has stagnated, our debt is climbing, and our economy is under threat from a trade war with the United States. At the same time, services delivered by the federal government are not meeting the standards Canadians expect or deserve. Less than 16% of Canadians feel they get great value from government services. Policy experts, including former senior public servants, have been ringing alarm bells about challenges confronting the public service, highlighting the need for a reset. It's time to refocus. For our federal government, this means re-evaluating programs that may no longer serve Canada's best interests. This process must be done urgently and with transparency. It should be led from within the government by courageous political leaders and with support from our public service. It should be informed by external experts from all parts of our economy and leverage the best talent and technology in the country. The memo below offers some ideas for how to get started. It identifies $35.1B in potential annual program and operational savings. This is nearly 7% of actual spending and over 50% of the latest $62B operating deficit. Implementing this plan would mean making hard choices about priorities. But by making tough decisions now, we can ensure the social programs that Canadians value most – like health care, dental care, child care, children's benefits, and benefits for seniors – remain fully funded, while maintaining our commitment to defence and security. There may be some ideas in here that you disagree with. There are likely things that have been missed. There may be things you’d do differently. That’s okay. The intent is to start the conversation and outline a process and potential opportunities for adjustment that the government can consider. Now is the time for rigorous assessments and tough decisions. Canada’s economy depends on it. The full memo: https://lnkd.in/gdne2-PM Line-by-line analysis: https://lnkd.in/gXGB8MEU

It's time to refocus. Canada now has the lowest real GDP per capita growth in the G7. Federal government spending has ballooned 45% over the last decade. Our productivity has stagnated, our debt is climbing, and our economy is under threat from a trade war with the United States. At the same time, services delivered by the federal government are not meeting the standards Canadians expect or deserve. Less than 16% of Canadians feel they get great value from government services. Policy experts, including former senior public servants, have been ringing alarm bells about challenges confronting the public service, highlighting the need for a reset. It's time to refocus. For our federal government, this means re-evaluating programs that may no longer serve Canada's best interests. This process must be done urgently and with transparency. It should be led from within the government by courageous political leaders and with support from our public service. It should be informed by external experts from all parts of our economy and leverage the best talent and technology in the country. The memo below offers some ideas for how to get started. It identifies $35.1B in potential annual program and operational savings. This is nearly 7% of actual spending and over 50% of the latest $62B operating deficit. Implementing this plan would mean making hard choices about priorities. But by making tough decisions now, we can ensure the social programs that Canadians value most – like health care, dental care, child care, children's benefits, and benefits for seniors – remain fully funded, while maintaining our commitment to defence and security. There may be some ideas in here that you disagree with. There are likely things that have been missed. There may be things you’d do differently. That’s okay. The intent is to start the conversation and outline a process and potential opportunities for adjustment that the government can consider. Now is the time for rigorous assessments and tough decisions. Canada’s economy depends on it. The full memo: https://lnkd.in/gdne2-PM Line-by-line analysis: https://lnkd.in/gXGB8MEU

Canada faces a possible great geopolitical threat to our country and yet 72% of our armed forces are overweight and half of our military equipment can't be deployed. Canada promised NATO we'd spend 2% of our economy on defence. We're not even close. We currently only spend around 1.4%, among the lowest of any NATO member. The way we buy equipment is broken. Complex procurement systems that require sign off from multiple stakeholders means it takes more than 16 years on average to buy and approve new gear. Imagine trying to fight today’s wars with 2008’s tools. We also don’t make enough of our own defence technology. Most of our gear comes from foreign companies, who build with their own country’s interests first. Only 1 of Canada’s top 30 companies works with our military. In the U.S., 5 of their top 10 companies do. If we keep this up, we will lose out on jobs, innovation, and global influence. Worse, we will lose our ability to defend ourselves. But we can turn this around: 1. Create an Office of Strategic Capital to invest more in Canadian defence tech – create and fund a strategic office to help invest in companies working on deep tech and defence innovation 2. Speed up procurement – pass an immediate Order in Council to streamline procurement requirements to be less rigid and faster to meet 3. Form partnerships with military tech partners – collaborate with leading defence tech companies to make Canada the testing ground for new systems. Our Arctic and southern borders in particular are ripe testbeds for autonomous machines and AI. 4. Allow Canadian defence tech to be sold abroad – remove restrictions on selling defence tech to trusted allies and emerging strategic markets 5. Shore up our Armed Forces – Introduce tuition reimbursements, signing bonuses and competitive salaries to boost military recruitment and retention. 6. Commit to non-partisanship – Have all major parties commit to defence strategies in order to maintain long-term continuity 7. Separate DND and CAF – The Department of National Defence should take full responsibility for defence procurement and geopolitical strategy, while the Canadian Armed Forces should focus solely on warfighting and operational readiness. Through these efforts, Canada can modernize its military, create good jobs, innovate R&D and defend our borders. Read the full memo: https://lnkd.in/d7ejgD-S

Canada is one of the most resource-rich countries in the world. But natural resources are finite – you can't keep extracting them forever. Other nations have been proactive about saving some of the funds generated through natural resources in sovereign wealth funds. These are large pools of money owned by a country, invested in stocks, bonds or other assets, with the goal of saving and growing wealth for the future. Norway's SWF holds $2.5 trillion CAD. In Canada, we have the Alberta Heritage Fund, but its modest in comparison. This also exposes Canada to the volatility of markets, with boom-bust cycles that impact families, businesses and investors. With the accelerating global shift away from fossil fuels, Canada must establish a unified strategy now to capture the value of oil, gas and other non-renewable resources. How this could work: 1. Foster Partnership Through Shared Benefits – Provinces can choose to join the Fund by putting in their own money. When they do, the federal government matches it—giving provinces more value for every dollar and access to bigger investment opportunities. 2. Legislate the Canadian Sovereign Wealth Fund Act – Create federal legislation that establishes this as an arms-length agency. 3. Implement Diverse Funding Sources – The Fund can be financed through federal revenues (like carbon pricing, royalties, and windfall taxes), provincial matching contributions, and a temporary 1% consumption levy. All funding will be time-limited, transparent, and guided by a clear sunset clause. 4. Return Value to Citizens Through the Canada Dividend – Starting in year 6, 20% of the Fund’s earnings will be paid out annually to all Canadians. The more a province contributes, the more its residents receive—ensuring fairness and public support. 5. Reduce Public Debt for Future Generations – Another 20% of earnings will go toward paying down federal and provincial debt. This eases long-term burdens on taxpayers and builds lasting fiscal strength. 6. Leverage Canada’s world-class investment capabilities – The Fund can use Canada’s top institutional managers (like CPPIB) to invest in global infrastructure and real estate. Strict cost caps, passive index investing, and competitive performance reviews will keep it efficient and effective. 7. Ensure Rigorous Oversight and Transparency – Regular audits, clear reporting, and legal firewalls will protect the Fund from political misuse. Canadian investments will be limited to 10% of the portfolio, with strict repayment rules if returns fall short. This is our chance to turn Canada's natural wealth into a permanent economic engine. Just as past generations built the roads, bridges, and institutions we depend on today, we now have the opportunity—and responsibility—to build a stronger, more secure financial future for all. Read the full memo: https://lnkd.in/gDWBFUtx

Canada faces a possible great geopolitical threat to our country and yet 72% of our armed forces are overweight and half of our military equipment can't be deployed. Canada promised NATO we'd spend 2% of our economy on defence. We're not even close. We currently only spend around 1.4%, among the lowest of any NATO member. The way we buy equipment is broken. Complex procurement systems that require sign off from multiple stakeholders means it takes more than 16 years on average to buy and approve new gear. Imagine trying to fight today’s wars with 2008’s tools. We also don’t make enough of our own defence technology. Most of our gear comes from foreign companies, who build with their own country’s interests first. Only 1 of Canada’s top 30 companies works with our military. In the U.S., 5 of their top 10 companies do. If we keep this up, we will lose out on jobs, innovation, and global influence. Worse, we will lose our ability to defend ourselves. But we can turn this around: 1. Create an Office of Strategic Capital to invest more in Canadian defence tech – create and fund a strategic office to help invest in companies working on deep tech and defence innovation 2. Speed up procurement – pass an immediate Order in Council to streamline procurement requirements to be less rigid and faster to meet 3. Form partnerships with military tech partners – collaborate with leading defence tech companies to make Canada the testing ground for new systems. Our Arctic and southern borders in particular are ripe testbeds for autonomous machines and AI. 4. Allow Canadian defence tech to be sold abroad – remove restrictions on selling defence tech to trusted allies and emerging strategic markets 5. Shore up our Armed Forces – Introduce tuition reimbursements, signing bonuses and competitive salaries to boost military recruitment and retention. 6. Commit to non-partisanship – Have all major parties commit to defence strategies in order to maintain long-term continuity 7. Separate DND and CAF – The Department of National Defence should take full responsibility for defence procurement and geopolitical strategy, while the Canadian Armed Forces should focus solely on warfighting and operational readiness. Through these efforts, Canada can modernize its military, create good jobs, innovate R&D and defend our borders. Read the full memo: https://lnkd.in/d7ejgD-S