CCI Statement on Liberal Party Election Platform

Today, CCI executive director Benjamin Bergen issued the following statement in response to the Liberal Party’s 2021 election platform:

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“Over the past week, more than 300 CEOs of Canadian technology companies joined their voices to call for an economic plan which emphasizes clean growth, driven by Canadian-owned ideas. In reading the 2021 Liberal Party platform, we saw indications that Justin Trudeau and his team heard the message, and addressed intellectual property, clean technology, and innovation-driven growth in their plan.

“Our members welcome the promise to reform and modernize the scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) tax credit, which is a cornerstone of the federal innovation funding system. We also appreciate the commitment to establish a permanent Council of Economic Advisors, which can build much-needed government capacity to remain engaged and proactive in fostering and regulating the evolving 21st century economy. With access to skilled talent the most pressing issue for all innovators in Canada, we’re pleased to see the platform include plans to improve the Global Talent Stream and expand pathways for permanent residency for skilled workers looking to make Canada their home. Talent remains the number one challenge for Canadian companies as they scale and grow their businesses abroad.

“At the same time, the Liberal Party has held government for six years, and the zeal of Canada’s ‘innovation’ government has faded since the Liberals were first elected in 2015. While incremental changes to the government’s innovation programs are welcomed, especially to grow Canada’s intellectual property stock and update Canada’s digital policy playbook, our members want to see a renewed vigour and ambition for supporting domestic innovators that the Liberal government brought with them when they were first elected. If re-elected, we hope to see similar action on clean growth, research commercialization, and updated marketplace frameworks to regulate dominant foreign technology companies.

“In the Liberal platform, we see a vision that requires collaboration with homegrown companies to achieve meaningful economic growth in the post-pandemic era. If a re-elected Liberal government takes this approach and works in partnership with Canadian innovators, they can count on a more prosperous Canada for all.”

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Media Contact:

James McLeod

jmcleod@canadianinnovators.org

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