Adapting to a New World: From Ambition to Investment
The reality is setting in that our trade relationship with the U.S. is altered durably and that many of the tenets of the economic strategy that we pursued since the days of the original Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and the Washington Consensus no longer hold. Shifting geopolitics are forcing a re-assessment of the means to safeguard our national security and sovereignty. AI is emerging as a powerful disruptive force in every corner of the economy, from energy to finance.
There is a shared vision of one, stronger Canadian economy that builds, diversifies its trade, sells more of its resources to the world, innovates, reorients its industries and attracts global talent and capital. The key to unlock this future is private investment that generates long-term returns. Yet, adjustment entails costs, and this will weigh on our standards of living. Not all bets will pay off.
The Bennett Jones 2026 Economic Outlook will review this new global and North American context, the short-term economic prospects for Canada and the U.S. and some of the forces and choices that will shape the longer-term path. The presentation of the Outlook will be led by Paul Beaudry, Professor of Economics at the University of British Columbia and Senior Advisor Serge Dupont. We again will welcome as special guest Jean Boivin, Head of the Blackrock Investment Institute. A question and answer session will be moderated by Cheryl Woodin, co-head of our Litigation and Dispute Resolution department.
