Everybody's Business: How to Ensure Canadian Prosperity Through the Twenty-First Century

Nurturing individual talent in the Canadian Business sector

Every generation of Canadians wants to pass on an even better version of Canada to the next. But in 1967, Canada was the world’s ninth largest economy; today it is seventeenth. In terms of income per person, we’ve fallen from third to fifteenth. What kind of Canada are we really leaving our children? How do we avoid falling further behind in the twenty-first century economy?

In this passionate manifesto for Canadian renewal, business leaders Assaf, Hejazi and Manget draw on interviews with over 100 thought leaders, politicians, CEOs, union leaders to craft a new way of thinking about our national opportunities. Now that technology has democratized the tools of modern productivity, they argue, we need to shift our focus from tired old industrial strategies and protectionist policies to nurturing individual talent. All the resources of government and business should be concentrated on unleashing the enormous potential of Canada’s spectacularly diverse, highly-educated, and supremely motivated citizens. Only by betting on the productivity and potential of the Canadian people can we leave our children with a nation and an economy of which we can all be proud.

DANY ASSAF is a globally recognized lawyer, specializing in competition law and policy. Dany and his wife Lisa also co-founded Toronto's annual Fast in the 6: Diversity.Unity.Prosperity. event. His family's century of history in Canada began with establishing the first mosque in Alberta in 1938.

Walid Hejazi is an associate professor of international business at the Rotman School of Management.

Joe Manget is Chair and CEO of EHN Canada