Like many Canadians, I watched with interest as Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos and, more recently, delivered his speech at the Citadelle in Montreal. What stood out to me was not just the standing ovation in Davos, but the consistent message across both speeches: that Canada is entering a period of profound economic and geopolitical change, and that how we respond will shape jobs, skills, and opportunity for years to come.
In both settings, the Prime Minister spoke about a world marked by greater uncertainty, shifting alliances, and the growing use of trade, tariffs, and supply chains as tools of economic pressure. For a middle power like Canada, the message was that we cannot rely on old assumptions. Instead, we need to strengthen our domestic economy, diversify our global partnerships, and invest in the capabilities that will make us more resilient.
From an employment and workforce development perspective, this matters deeply. Investments in areas like critical minerals, clean energy, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and defence-related industries will not just be abstract economic strategies. They will translate into real labour market demand, new occupations, and changing skill requirements across communities — including rural, remote, and equity-deserving communities that our sector serves every day.
I am often proud to be Canadian, but I also hold that pride alongside an honest reckoning with our history. Canada’s story includes deep and ongoing harms to Indigenous Peoples, and complicated, sometimes painful experiences for newcomers and racialized communities. Reconciliation and inclusion are not abstract concepts. They are lived realities that continue to shape who has access to opportunity, security, and good work.
That context matters as we talk about economic transformation and national ambition. Building a more resilient and competitive economy must also mean building a fairer one. It means ensuring that Indigenous communities, newcomers, people with disabilities, and others who have been historically excluded are not once again asked to absorb the costs of change without sharing in the benefits.
For our sector, this reinforces the essential role of community-based employment services. We are often the bridge between big policy ambitions and real people navigating complex lives, barriers, and transitions. Our work helps ensure that economic change is not just measured in investment or growth, but in whether individuals, families, and communities can actually participate and thrive.
If Canada is serious about resilience and prosperity, then inclusive workforce development is not optional. It is foundational, and it is where ASPECT members’ work becomes essential to the kind of country we are trying to build.
Janet Morris-Reade, CEO
ASPET BC
