Celebrating Canada

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Dear Friends,

Ever since I immigrated to Canada nearly 50 years ago, Canada Day has held special significance for me.

As a proud Canadian, I think of July 1^st as a day to celebrate all the things that make this country the best place in the world to live. 

Canada has so much going for it, including its welcoming and diverse population, its abundant resources, and its innovative, can-do spirit.

Let’s not take those gifts for granted. 

We need to nurture what we have and grow our economy if we want to ensure a better future for all. 

Let’s remove the hurdles that are slowing us down, including internal trade barriers, inefficient regulatory processes, and outdated professional credential systems. Let’s hasten Indigenous economic reconciliation. And let’s open new pathways for growth such as building more housing and modern infrastructure, leveraging our talent to commercialize ideas, and sharing our energy, food and other resources with the world. 

Through partnership, vision and leadership we can improve the lives of all Canadians.

Wishing you a happy Canada Day!

Goldy Hyder
President and CEO
Business Council of Canada

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Sizing up the federal budget

In April, we asked for your assessment of Budget 2023. You told us you wanted to see more attention paid to:

• Critical mineral mining, 
• Economic competitiveness, and
• Inflation and debt

Thank you to everyone who participated in our survey. 

Canada’s long-term economic success requires leadership from all levels of government. That’s why we wrote to the Premiers in anticipation of July’s Council of the Federation meeting in Winnipeg. We’re calling on provincial and territorial leaders to focus on four practical public policy measures that are all within their control:

• Create the conditions for freer trade in Canada,
• Take bold action to improve foreign credentials recognition,
• Commit to developing a national trade infrastructure strategy, and
• Increase clean and affordable electricity capacity

We’re wrapping up Season Six of the Speaking of Business podcast with two engaging interviews.

• Join Wajax President and CEO Iggy Domagalski for an inspiring conversation about the importance of cultivating a strong corporate culture that embraces positivity.
• And François Poirier, President and CEO of TC Energy, sits down with Goldy Hyder to discuss why he and his co-workers see themselves as energy problem-solvers.

Earlier this month, we welcomed Heather Exner-Pirot to the BCC policy team. Heather’s western perspective, her in-depth knowledge of Arctic issues, and her respected work on Indigenous economic and resource development will help inform our work advocating for sound economic policy.

This summer the BCC team is sharing book recommendations that we hope will inform, entertain and spark conversations.  Make sure to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for our weekly picks, and let us know what YOU’RE reading this summer.