The core mission of my government would be to grow the strongest economy in the G7.
That means faster long-term economic growth than our peers, including the US. It means growth that improves the quality of life of all Canadians, increases the real wages of all Canadians, supports and improves our social model, finances our rising security needs, and provides Canadians with a deserved sense of optimism and confidence that our future will be much better than our past.
The first step to building the strongest economy is to get Canada back on track: in housing, immigration, government spending, and the income growth of all Canadians. Too many Canadians, particularly younger Canadians, have been knocked back by the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis—setbacks made worse by the surge in immigration and the shortfall in affordable housing.
To get our country back on track, my government will supercharge Canada’s housing plan, cap immigration until it can be returned to a sustainable trend, reduce government spending while improving its effectiveness, support young people in fulfilling their potential, and fundamentally reform the tax system and incentives to catalyse building. A strong country is anchored on a strong economy, and my government will be laser-focused on ensuring Canada produces the prosperity to benefit all Canadians.
We need a government that spends less, so Canada can invest more. My government will focus first on reining in wasteful and ineffective government spending, creating room for personal income tax cuts so that Canadians can keep more of their hard-earned money and better cope with the higher cost of living.
We will make government more efficient and effective to deliver better results, focusing on maximising the outcomes achieved while minimising the dollars spent. We will slow the growth of government spending, cap the size of the public service, and use technology to reduce inefficiencies. By leveraging AI and machine learning to boost productivity and cut costs across government, we will build a highly competitive, technology-enabled public service focused on delivering for Canadians and ensuring funds are allocated where they best serve Canadians. Our guiding questions will be simple: Does it work well? Can it work better for less?
My government will balance the operating budget in three years through responsible financial management. In parallel, we will focus on ensuring that each government capital investment dollar catalyses multiples of private investment. This will maximize job creation, boost incomes for Canadian workers, supply more resources for federal programs to protect the vulnerable, and build a stronger, fairer Canada. We will reinforce the capacity and oversight function of the Parliamentary Budget Officer to support value for money in government spending and maximum impact for government investments.
Far too many Canadians feel like they can’t get ahead, with younger Canadians facing mounting challenges, parents struggling to make ends meet, and wages for many failing to keep up with inflation. My government will take a series of measures to ensure that Canada keeps its promise of economic security for all and enables every Canadian to thrive. We will deliver on this commitment by cutting taxes for the middle class and providing additional boosts to the incomes of younger Canadians so they can build a prosperous future.
Canadians have always taken care of each other and stood together in solidarity through tough times. Consistent with those values and with the changing nature of work, my government will create a more flexible, generous support system. We will reskill and retrain workers for the technological revolution creating a labour force for the future so that AI works for all Canadians. Working with provinces and territories, we will improve access to family doctors, lower wait times, and tackle homelessness and the drug crisis head-on. We will transparently assess the sustainability of these programs to ensure that future generations enjoy better services.
Government must harness AI with a clear focus on serving the public good. We will deploy AI across federal government services to increase productivity, reduce waste and improve delivery. We will catalyse major investments in AI infrastructure to reinforce Canada’s leadership in AI model development. We will incentivise the application of AI across our economy to provide better services and create high paying jobs for Canadians. We will work with provinces and territories to deploy AI in addressing productivity challenges in health care, education, and construction. Canada should lead the world in AI, tech, and digital industries.
My government will embed meaningful reconciliation and partnership with Indigenous communities throughout our economic policy, ensuring that their leadership and perspectives are integral to building a thriving, inclusive economy. We can only succeed when all Canadians, regardless of background, have the opportunities to get ahead and realize their dreams.
It is time to build a new Canadian economy through enormous investments that will create great jobs, raise incomes, and drive the productivity we need to pay for improvements to our health care system and social services.
During this crisis, my government will use all its powers, policy instruments and fiscal capacity to speed the construction of major projects in the national interest.
Canada’s major investment imperatives include building four million new homes by 2035, expanding and modernizing our energy infrastructure so that we are less dependent both on foreign suppliers and the United States as our main customer. To build more competitive manufacturing and services sectors, Canada must invest to become a clean energy superpower in nuclear, hydro power, wind, hydrogen, battery storage and carbon capture. To lead the AI revolution, we need to capitalise on our unique opportunities to build competitive data centres and intelligence infrastructure that are wired into the largest AI market in the world. To diversify our trading partners away from the United States we must develop our ports, supply chains and new trade corridors.
By fostering investment in these critical areas, we can drive more rapid and more sustainable growth that secures Canada’s economic future. For example, Canada must invest $2 trillion by 2050—about $80 billion per year—to become carbon competitive and achieve Net Zero.1 However, investment in decarbonisation is currently running around $15 billion annually. And Canada's available compute resources—including its data centres, cloud, and AI systems—are lagging leaders such as the United States, Japan, and China, constraining the critical computing power essential for driving innovation.2
We will leverage our new fiscal approach so that scarce public investment dollars catalyse multiples of private investment. We will partner with municipalities to cut red tape and eliminate permitting delays so that builders can build the homes Canadians need. We will harness our vast capabilities to become a clean energy superpower, supporting projects that protect the environment while honouring the rights and prosperity of Indigenous peoples. We will replace the consumer carbon tax with incentives for greener choices, reverse the government’s capital gains tax increase in recognition of the vital role that builders and small businesses play in shaping our country’s future.
Canadians are builders by nature, and now we have a unique opportunity to build a new independent, resilient, sustainable and vibrant Canada.
Canada is strongest when we are united. There should be one Canadian economy, not thirteen. We’ve pursued international free trade but neglected internal trade. This must change.
My government will immediately convene a First Ministers’ meeting to work with provinces and territories to identify national investment priorities to be fast-tracked and to remove interprovincial trade barriers so Canadians can trade freely. These discussions should start from the principles of barrier-free trade, mutual recognition of standards and substituted compliance with regulations.
We will crack down on anticompetitive and monopolistic practices so companies will have to compete for your hard-earned dollars to reduce the costs of groceries, broadband, and travel for Canadians.
For too long, Canada has relied too heavily on the United States as our default trading partner. Canada must diversify and expand its trading relationships by becoming an essential partner for like-minded countries, drawing on our vast resources of conventional and clean energy, critical metals and minerals, leadership in AI, and deep human capital. My government will recognize that being low-carbon is an increasingly key driver of economic competitiveness in manufacturing and services, and that Canada can attract more than its share of these emerging opportunities. We will position Canada as a core solution to food and energy security at a time when nations value supply chain resilience and stability more than ever.
We will build new partnerships with countries around the world who share our values. My government will ensure Canada’s goods and services reach global markets and that trade gains benefit all Canadians. While America will always be an important trading partner, it is vital that we reduce our dependence on it. Our investments to expand Canada’s global export capacity will reduce near-term switching costs for Canadian producers in the event of future trade disruptions. Canada’s potential leadership in the industries of the future provides an ideal opportunity to do so.
The world is increasingly dangerous and divided. Now more than ever, we need to secure Canadian sovereignty by strengthening our military, making our communities more resilient, and protecting against growing threats like climate change and pandemics. Canada faces threats from a hostile Russia in our Arctic and an emboldened China seeking to gain the advantage in tech and AI. Global rogue states, such as Iran and North Korea, are potential threats. We will be vigilant against foreign interference in our democracy.
Our focus on security will build up our military capabilities and, in doing so, enable us to meet our 2% NATO target by the end of the decade. We will ensure every dollar is spent wisely and effectively, prioritizing domestic investment in Canada over expenditures in the United States.
Working closely with Indigenous leadership, we will fortify the Arctic against incursions by strengthening our year-round land, air, and sea presence with targeted investments in dual-use infrastructure such as deepwater ports and runways. An enhanced Arctic focus will improve our military readiness, drive economic growth, and empower communities. In partnership with our allies, we will modernize NORAD to ensure our defence capabilities remain agile, resilient, and fully prepared to meet emerging challenges.
National security and safety are a fundamental responsibility of government and are crucial for Canada’s success. We will combat organized crime, strengthen our border, and build domestic resilience against pandemics, trade threats, and wildfires. A strong, resilient Canada will never tolerate bullies. My government will stand up for this great country, lead with our values, and work every day to ensure that the opportunities of the 21st century belong to Canada and all Canadians.
1: Source: “The $2 Trillion Transition: Canada’s Road to Net Zero” by RBC. Available here
2: Source: “Can Canada Compute? Policy Options to Close Canada’s AI Compute Gap” by The Dais. Available here
