The following note from ICBA President and CEO Chris Gardner was sent out this morning.
While there are still a handful of votes to be counted in some very close races, it is clear Mark Carney will be Prime Minister, and the Liberals will form a minority government. In the Canadian context, this is a rare fourth term for a federal government, and a historic accomplishment for an individual who entered politics just three and a half months ago.
The results reveal a record number of close finishes, with about 30 candidates winning by less than one percentage point. The NDP have been reduced to just seven seats, losing official party status, and the Bloc suffered significant losses in Quebec. As a result, Canada has moved very close to a two-party system, revealing a new level of polarization in our country that is similar to that which has emerged in most other western democracies in recent years.
At ICBA, we have been consistent in our call for change in direction and policy priorities in Ottawa. While we wish the new Prime Minister well and are hopeful that his background as head of the central banks in both Canada and the UK will yield a very different approach to government and our economy than we have experienced over the past decade, our advocacy will continue to make a compelling case for a stronger economy and a vibrant construction sector centered on the entrepreneurs, contractors, tradespeople, skilled workers – the men and women who work every day to build our communities.
One of the central challenges of our time is how to build more, build faster, and build affordably. The responsibility for setting the conditions to meet this challenge is spread across three levels of government. At ICBA, we will continue to make the case for a more competitive economy to unlock the potential of Canada – attracting investment, approving projects faster, accelerating the permitting process, adopting a more competitive tax system, and reducing red tape and regulation – things essential to creating opportunities for every Canadian.
We are hopeful that Prime Minister Carney will rise to meet these challenges with the seriousness and creativity they demand.
Going forward, ICBA will do what we have always done: advocate passionately, constructively, and relentlessly for the policies that strengthen construction and free enterprise across Canada. We will strive to work with the new government where we can, offer solutions where possible, and hold them to account where we must.
One of the many things I admire about construction leaders and their teams is the commitment to overcoming every obstacle, working through every roadblock and to getting the job done.
We are builders, innovators, creators and optimists. And we remain fully committed to building a stronger construction industry, a stronger economy, and a stronger Canada – no matter who is in office in Ottawa, Victoria or at City Hall.
Our work continues – in the coming days, watch for an analysis of Canada’s economic challenges and opportunities and the new Liberal Government’s plan to address them from our Chief Economist Jock Finlayson.
