The dollar and China are only two of the challenges that will lead to widespread restructuring in Canada's
manufacturing industry, says Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters in its action plan released today outlining what Canadians must do in order to ensure their future economic prosperity.
"A Call to Action
is a plan by industry for industry," said CME Chair and Alcan Sr. VP, Dan Gagnier, during a two-day summit focusing on the future of Canadian industry in Ottawa. "Our goal is to make Canada the most prosperous
nation in the Americas by 2020 and our action plan is a blueprint to take us there."
A Call to Action is the product of the most extensive private consultations ever conducted in Canada. It featured over 98
meetings with input from approximately 2,000 Canadians across the country during CME's Manufacturing 20/20 initiative.
"Canadian industry has weathered many challenges the past few years, and there are many
more on the horizon," added Perrin Beatty, CME President and CEO. "A Call to Action identifies priority areas for action to overcome these challenges and highlights an integrated and coherent approach that all
Canadians must follow in an effort to ensure Canada's future global business success."
The plan outlines specific actions to make Canada the envy of the world in terms of investment, regulation, growth and
employment in the next 15 years.
It identifies seven critical action areas all Canadians must focus on to achieve this goal, including:
1) Leadership
2) Workforce Capabilities
3) Innovation
4) Business and Financial Services
5) International Business Development
6) Infrastructure
7) Competitive Business Environment
A Call to Action also outlines detailed measures in each of those areas. It
calls on manufacturers to implement new business strategies; workers to continually upgrade their skills; our colleges and universities to ensure our graduates are employable upon graduation; our governments to make our
tax system the best in North America and all Canadians to take a proactive role in defining our future.
"Canadian industry is experiencing an 'e-volution'. Failure to plan to today is a plan to fail --
business as usual is not an option," added Gagnier. "All Canadians have a stake in building a more prosperous economy, in sustaining the future of their communities, in enabling the success of Canadian
manufacturers and the expansion of Canadian business in global markets."
"In the new global reality, the countries that can learn will be the countries that can lead. The countries that can transform
will be the countries that will triumph," concluded Beatty. "The opportunities our children will have to enjoy the prosperity and the quality of life that today's generation of Canadians takes for granted
depend upon decisions that are urgently needed now. "
An Executive Summary of the action plan can be downloaded here. |
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