Opinion September 25, 2020

Throne Speech comes at a critical time in our shared fight against COVID-19

Goldy Hyder – President and Chief Executive Officer, Business Council of Canada

Canada's Human Capital Economic Strategy

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Dear friends,

With headlines filled with words like “crossroads” and “outbreaks” and “cases rising” it’s easy to get discouraged in our collective fight against COVID-19. But I’m here to tell you that we can get through this. By working together and following public health guidelines we can safely coexist with the virus.

This week the Prime Minister reminded us about the challenges we faced together and overcame during the past six months, the lessons we learned to contain the virus, and – perhaps most importantly – the need to remain vigilant.

I was pleased to see the federal government’s Throne Speech recognize that a healthy economy requires a healthy population. As outlined in our statement, Canadian businesses have proven throughout the pandemic that it is possible to operate safely and responsibly, producing goods and services Canadians need, while providing much-needed employment.

We expect the government to do its part in providing a strong health and economic framework that is conducive to growth and opportunity. Our attention now turns to the fall economic statement and ensuring Ottawa delivers a fiscally responsible and disciplined plan to restore confidence, promote investment, and spur job creation.

If we all harness our own unique expertise and work in partnership, we will get through this together. We will also be able to build a healthier, greener and more prosperous country for all Canadians. We can do this.

Yours sincerely,