News Summary

In an open letter, 150 Canadian tech leaders have urged federal parties to outline their plans for enhancing Canada’s economic sovereignty in the upcoming election debates. The letter, organized by the Council of Canadian Innovators (CCI), emphasizes the need for policies that bolster Canada’s domestic capacity amidst global economic turbulence. Signatories, including CEOs from prominent Canadian tech firms like AlayaCare, Axonify, and Lightspeed Commerce, highlight the importance of bold industrial strategies and procurement reforms. They advocate for initiatives such as modernizing the Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax credit and implementing a Buy Canadian Tech strategy. The letter criticizes past government priorities that have favored short-term economic interests and foreign investments over long-term domestic growth. It calls for a national economic security strategy and increased support for Canadian tech firms in sectors like AI and cybersecurity. The tech leaders stress that the government’s future economic policy decisions will be crucial for Canada’s sovereignty and prosperity.