Think Big: The Argument for a New Direction in Canadian Leadership

Why Canada Needs Bold, Ambitious Leadership Now 

Canada is often recognized for its stability. Institutions such as banks, pension funds, insurance companies, utilities, and major private-sector organizations are generally regarded as professional, steady, and well-run. Over the years, Canadians have benefited from a relatively comfortable environment influenced by European-style values that emphasize the role of government in supporting citizens’ well-being. 

But this comfort has carried certain trade-offs. Canada’s economy has rested on four main pillars that, while effective in the short term, have also encouraged a degree of complacency and reliance on external factors. As the global landscape shifts, these foundations are being challenged in ways that suggest the need for a renewed style of leadership—one marked by greater urgency, vision, and boldness. 

Looking Back: Four Pillars That Shaped Canada’s Economy

1. The Branch Plant Economy

Canada has often operated in close alignment with the U.S. economy. With a population of about 40 million (roughly the size of California), Canada has represented a convenient market for American companies. Many U.S. businesses have set up sales offices, distribution centers, and storefronts here, effectively treating Canada as an extension of their home market. 

In addition to consumer access, Canada has also offered a pool of highly educated talent. Immigration policies have attracted skilled specialists at times when U.S. visa restrictions were tighter, prompting several American tech firms to establish labs and R&D satellites in Canada. 

Other factors, such as lower labor costs supported by a weaker Canadian dollar and the absence of U.S.-style employer health insurance, have also encouraged this investment. The outcome has often been an economy shaped significantly by U.S. priorities, with Canadian innovation playing a more limited role. While there have certainly been important examples of creativity and productivity at home, the broader trend has leaned toward supporting rather than leading.

2. Reliance on Natural Resources

Canada has significant natural resource wealth, and the U.S. has traditionally been one of the largest buyers of these exports. From energy to minerals, demand from our southern neighbour has shaped much of Canada’s trade. 

This reliance on a single major customer has sometimes made it less urgent to diversify into other markets or to strengthen east-west commerce within Canada’s own borders. Over time, regional economies have often developed close ties with neighbouring U.S. states: Ontario with Michigan and New York, British Columbia with California, Alberta with Texas, and the Maritimes with New England. While these north-south relationships have supported economic growth, they may also have drawn attention away from the potential of deeper national integration and interprovincial trade.

3. Immigration as a Driver of Growth

Immigration has played an important role in supporting Canada’s GDP growth. By welcoming skilled newcomers each year, the country has expanded its workforce, enriched its culture, and offset demographic pressures such as an aging population. This approach has contributed positively to both society and the economy. 

At the same time, immigration on its own may not be sufficient to ensure long-term prosperity. Complementary efforts, such as strengthening productivity, competitiveness, infrastructure, and innovation, can help balance population growth with broader economic resilience and entrepreneurial activity.

4. A Tendency Toward Caution

Canada has at times shown a preference for stability and incremental change rather than urgency or bold action. Challenging issues related to growth, such as interprovincial trade restrictions or regulatory complexity, have often proven difficult to resolve. This cautious approach can slow progress, especially when compared with countries that have pursued more aggressive strategies to advance their competitiveness. 

A Shifting Global Context 

This status quo is no longer tenable. The world is entering a period of seismic change in trade, geopolitics, and climate. For Canada, these shifts bring both short-term challenges and long-term opportunities, but only if we summon the will to adapt. 

• Trade and political realignment: Global supply chains are being reshaped, and international alliances continue to evolve. Many countries are reconsidering reliance on single trading partners. For Canada, this raises questions about the degree to which continued dependence on the U.S. as the dominant relationship is sustainable over the long term. 
• The Arctic frontier: Climate change is making the Arctic more accessible, bringing renewed attention to Canada’s proximity to major powers. This development highlights the growing intersection of sovereignty, resource development, and national security in the North. 
• Resource and infrastructure considerations: Canada’s future growth is likely to continue depending on resource development, along with reliable access to tidewater ports on both coasts. Indigenous communities will play an essential role in these discussions, underscoring the importance of partnership and reconciliation not only as moral commitments but also as strategic priorities. 
• Internal barriers: Strengthening interprovincial trade could provide greater resilience. Reducing barriers and improving east-west commerce may help Canada function more cohesively as a national economy, balancing its strong north-south ties with broader internal integration. 

A Call for a New Kind of Leadership 

The path ahead will not be easy. But it is clear that Canada needs a new kind of leadership, both governmental and corporate, that embraces boldness, urgency, and long-term vision. Such leadership should focus on building a Canada that is: 

• More self-sufficient: Finding ways to reduce reliance on U.S. markets by diversifying exports to additional global partners. 
• More innovative: Supporting the growth of homegrown enterprises, research, and intellectual property so that Canadian firms can compete more strongly on a global scale. 
• More integrated: Encouraging stronger interprovincial trade, infrastructure, and collaboration to help Canada function more cohesively as a national economy. 
• More ambitious: Taking on difficult barriers to growth and setting national goals that extend beyond incremental progress. 
• More resilient: Anticipating geopolitical, environmental, and demographic shifts with foresight and adaptability. 

Signs of Change 

There are indications that some of this shift may already be beginning. Rising tensions with neighbouring countries, along with recent signals of stronger leadership from Ottawa, have prompted renewed dialogue around self-sufficiency and competitiveness. Topics such as trade diversification, Arctic strategy, and internal barriers are receiving more attention. 

At the same time, awareness by itself is not sufficient. Meaningful transformation depends on collaborative effort across sectors, from governments considering policy updates to private-sector leaders exploring new investments in productivity, technology, and global competitiveness. 

Conclusion: The Hard Work Ahead 

Canada’s success has often rested on certain assumptions, for example, that the U.S. would remain our primary market, that natural resources would always sustain us, that immigration alone could drive growth, and that stability might be better preserved by avoiding difficult debates. 

The shifting global landscape is exposing the limits of these assumptions. The coming years will bring short-term discomfort and disruption, but they also present a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Canada to redefine its economic and political identity. 

How the country responds will depend on leadership across both the public and private sectors. By approaching the future with greater urgency, vision, and collaboration, Canada can move beyond older patterns and chart a stronger, more resilient path forward. 

The time for a new direction of Canadian leadership is now.