CCI Statement on the Federal Government’s Plan for a Stronger Canada

Today, the Prime Minister released The Plan for a Stronger Canada, Canada’s first national security policy in more than 20 years. In response, Daniel Perry, Director of Federal Affairs at the Council of Canadian Innovators, issued the following statement.

“The government is right to treat economic security as national security. Last December, after the United States released its National Security Strategy, CCI urged the Prime Minister to treat economic interests, sovereignty and security as one agenda. Today’s plan takes an important step in that direction by making economic security a primary factor in decisions on industrial support, innovation and foreign investment.

“The plan names emerging technologies, critical minerals, defence, and payments, settlement and investment among eight sectors where Canada will build strategic capabilities. It also commits to making Canada a major player in AI, quantum, space and energy technologies, and to building a robust domestic defence industrial base through the Defence Investment Agency. These are the right priorities.

“The plan names the capabilities Canada needs, but it is largely silent on who will own them. It says little about intellectual property or the standards that firms build critical technologies on, scale-ups or growth capital, and nothing about the talent and data Canada continues to lose. Strategic autonomy depends on Canadian ownership. If the technology and IP behind these capabilities are owned elsewhere, Canada’s dependence has simply moved onshore.

“We also hope to see more detail as the government moves forward. Implementation is the opportunity to get this right. Defence procurement should reward Canadian IP ownership and open real pathways for domestic scale-ups and dual-use technologies. Canadian firms should be able to compete for the government’s AI and secure cloud investments, with clearance reforms that work for smaller companies. The economic security legislation promised within the year should protect Canadian IP and trade secrets.

“The government has promised new legislation within a year and more direct engagement with industry. CCI and our members are ready to help put this plan into action and to make sure Canadian innovators have a seat at the table.”

Media Contact‍

Lisa Brody Hoffman
Director of Communications
‍lhoffman@canadianinnovators.org