Young leaders need to drive conversation on the economy they want, say Coalition for a Better Future co-chairs
Anne McLellan and Lisa Raitt speak about urgent need for inclusive economic strategies as keynote speakers at University of New Brunswick’s ‘Shaping the Debate’ conference
FREDERICTON, N.B. — Young Canadians should be at the table and driving the conversations about what kind of economy they want, say Coalition for a Better Future co-chairs Hon. Anne McLellan and Hon. Lisa Raitt in a keynote address at the University of New Brunswick’s ‘Shaping the Debate’ conference where more than 200 people took part.
“Young Canadians have told us they are worried about everything from inflation and the cost of living to the cost of education, housing and affording to have families in the future if they choose. This is compounded by their concerns around the climate crisis,” Raitt said. “That’s exactly why there’s an urgent need to produce a plan for the Canadian economy that's focused on long-term, inclusive and sustainable growth.”
“Meeting with more than 200 students and leaders at the University of New Brunswick on how to grow the economy is exactly what the Coalition needs to do. We want young leaders to drive the conversation about long-term growth. That’s why we are so grateful to the University of New Brunswick for being our first stop on our national campus tour to engage young Canadians,” said McLellan. “It will help us bring back this information to our membership and Canada's leaders."
The Campus Tour, supported by Shell Canada, is part of the Coalition for a Better Future’s national effort to ensure that all voices are at the table when discussing how we can grow sustainably, live better and win globally. The University of New Brunswick, in partnership with the Coalition and in collaboration with the New Brunswick Business Council, hosted ‘Shaping the Debate’ to discuss how the province’s economy can prosper in the way we need it to.
Growth in New Brunswick over the past 10 years has mirrored the national average – that is, the province suffers from the same low productivity as the rest of the country. GDP per capita in the decade through 2021 was up just by about four per cent in New Brunswick. That’s approximately half a percentage point per year growth per person – which is too slow. At the same time, Canadian incomes are falling behind many of our G7 counterparts. The Coalition for a Better Future is engaging leaders in both the private sector and civil society to shape the conversation about the kind of economy Canada needs in the future to ensure the prosperity of all Canadians.
The next Campus Tour event will be at the University of Ottawa on March 6, in partnership with the Telfer School of Management which has tracked Canada’s progress against the Coalition’s Scorecard of 21 internationally recognized metrics.The Coalition will release a full report on this progress at its Scorecard Reporting Event at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on March 7.
