The Trudeau Liberals delivered their Speech from the Throne Tuesday, laying out the federal government’s plan for the upcoming parliamentary session.
In the lead-up to this speech, the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) released its election platform, Manufacturing Now calling on all federal parties to commit to the two per cent challenge.
The two per cent challenge is a goal to attract at least two percent of the annual manufacturing investment into the OECD, or $50 billion annually in Canada’s manufacturing sector.
IMPACT ON MANUFACTURING
The government’s plan is based on the following priorities: indigenous reconciliation, end the fight against the pandemic, fight climate change, and rebuilding the economy. Below is a summary of what was discussed that is relevant to the manufacturing sector:
Ending COVID-19 Pandemic
- Will issue vaccine mandates for federally regulated industries and transportation industries
- Expand vaccination to 5–11-year-old cohort
Economic Policy
- Tackle inflation, ensure childcare for all, and build more housing
- Government will increase immigration intake levels and reduce red tape
- Support rules-based-trade to help address supply chain issues and defend Canadian interests
Environment and Climate Change
- Will focus on reconciling economic needs with environmental needs
- Mandating zero-emission vehicles and continue transition to net-zero
SPECIAL MENTION FOR MANUFACTURING
“The government committed to working with Canada’s manufacturing sector to make our sector one of the cleanest industrial producers in the world,” states a press release from the CPCA. “The speech also singled out the industriousness of Canadian industry showing that manufacturing is viewed as being central to future economic growth.”
NEXT STEPS
While the Speech from the Throne did not specifically address CME’s call for a national manufacturing strategy, it did include a lot of CME’s advocacy calls on trade, supply chains, net-zero transition, childcare, and immigration.
Those latter mentions are big wins for CME.
“In the days and weeks ahead, they will keep up our advocacy and hold the government to account for the commitments it has made,” states the CPCA. “They are still waiting for the mandate letters to learn the government’s specific economic priorities. CME will, as always, keep up the pressure to address our other outstanding issues on labour shortages, supply chain disruptions, environmental regulations, and general cost of doing business challenges.”
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