After years of virtue signalling and contentious bills designed to wedge political opponents by the former Trudeau government, the arrival of Prime Minister Mark Carney on the scene feels like a breath of fresh air after years of stagnation in Ottawa’s corridors of power.
The early days of the new government signal that Carney is singularly focused on delivering the type of big picture change that has the potential to reshape the Canadian economy and transform the country’s reputation as a destination worthy of doing business. From his arrival at the White House days after the election to the First Ministers’ meeting in Saskatchewan earlier this week, the Prime Minister is earning praise both publicly and behind closed doors.
With momentum building, what could possibly go wrong? The problem lies in the details, or more accurately, the lack of them. While his mandate letter to cabinet lays out a bold, overarching goal to build the strongest economy in the G7, the sweeping priorities it contains lack a clear and credible road map for how to get there.
The obvious solution would have been to present a federal budget that would outline near-term spending initiatives, along with debt and fiscal projections. Instead, Carney opted to bypass the spring session of parliament and focus on tabling favourable policies that Liberal parliamentarians can market to constituents throughout the summer barbecue circuit. Chief among them is a middle-class tax cut, aimed at helping the prime minister deliver on his affordability pledge made during the election campaign.
While Canadians may welcome the promise of pocketbook relief, the lack of transparency around Ottawa’s finances should raise red flags. Not only is the government delaying the introduction of the federal budget until the fall, it is also moving ahead with major spending commitments absent proper oversight and without a clear accounting of the country’s fiscal position. This is an early indication that the new government may be prepared to sidestep accountability mechanisms that are essential to responsible government.
Meanwhile, the final days of the parliamentary session are unfolding alongside high-level talks between senior Canadian and U.S. officials about the future of a renewed cross-border economic and security pact. What form the agreement ends up taking, and how it will benefit both countries, remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that President Donald Trump remains unafraid to impose, or escalate, tariffs as leverage on Canadian goods such as steel and aluminum, even amid these critical negotiations.
Partisanship aside, major policy change is notoriously difficult in Canada for reasons that are well understood and deeply entrenched. Too often, governments hit a wall before they can meaningfully implement the bold visions they were elected to pursue. That’s why we should commend leaders willing to move mountains to deliver real change.
But change can’t come at the cost of transparency and accountability. If this government wants to fulfill its mandate to transform the Canadian economy, it must do so with clarity, openness, and respect for the institutions that safeguard public trust. The new government would do well to remember this while there is still time on the clock to course correct.
Josie Sabatino is a Senior Consultant at Summa Strategies, focused on providing strategic insight and helping clients meet their objectives in an ever changing and complex political and regulatory environment. Prior to joining Summa, Josie spent nearly a decade in political communications and most recently served as the Director of Communications to the Hon. Erin O’Toole, former Leader of the Official Opposition.
