Last week, we argued that 2025 was a surprisingly good year for Canada. This was despite, or even because of, the Trump administration’s extraordinary shift in policies.
We noted, for example, that President Trump’s tariffs forced Canada to make some necessary and long overdue policy changes. This included carrying our weight on defence and getting serious about law enforcement. It included prioritizing Canada’s own economic prosperity, by signalling support for infrastructure, energy and natural resource development. It included preliminary efforts to tear down interprovincial trade barriers.
These are substantial accomplishments in a short time span. Are we capable of making similar strides in 2026? And if so, what strides are most important?
Here is what we’d hope to see governments accomplish:
On trade, 2026 will be a critical year. The U.S. has already signalled it has many concerns with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, which the parties will decide whether to renew beyond its current 2036 expiration. The U.S. has said Canadian supply management and the Online News Act are some key concerns.
In its trade negotiations, we hope Ottawa is willing to make concessions that are in Canadians’ own best interests. This may seem obvious, but unfortunately seems far from assured.
So far, Ottawa has said it will not touch supply management, a system that forces Canadians to overspend on dairy and poultry by hundreds of dollars a year. Its production quotas have also forced farmers to waste billions of litres of milk over the past decade and prevent small farmers from entering the market.
Similarly, Canada should be willing to revisit the Online News Act. This flawed piece of legislation prompted Meta to block reputable news sources from its platforms, exacerbating misinformation and news deserts.
Another economic priority should be comprehensive tax reform. For all its hype, this year’s budget failed to materially address Canada’s competitiveness challenge. Major tax reform could make Canada a more attractive landscape for investors and business, and make tax compliance easier for average Canadians.
Another priority should be health-care reform. Canadians consistently identify health-care wait times and doctor inaccessibility as top priorities, and yet little seems to change.
Dozens of other countries have universal health care, and superior health outcomes for what they spend. There are so many models we could learn from. We need to start looking past the U.S.’s health-care model and learning from countries with more successful systems. This means embracing reform, rather than reacting with alarm or ideological rigidity.
In last week’s editorial, we applauded governments’ investments in law enforcement and border security. These investments are already paying off, leading to major crackdowns on drug crimes and car thefts.
But the police can only do so much. We also need a judicial system that ensures accused individuals have their day in court. In December, the Globe and Mail reported that an astonishing 10,000 criminal cases are being dismissed each year due to trial delays. These include cases of alleged murder and sexual assault.
If our justice system is to maintain the public’s confidence, this must change. The government is reportedly planning to table legislation to prevent serious cases from being dismissed. We hope this is paired with efforts to eliminate judicial vacancies and overhaul court procedures that contribute to undue delays.
Finally, we hope this great country stays united in 2026 and beyond. In Quebec, the separatist Parti Québécois currently looks likely to win the 2026 provincial election. In Alberta, a separatist group is working to get a separatism referendum question on the ballot. Even Saskatchewan now has a separatist movement, the National Post reported this month.
It will take skilled federal leadership and sensible provincial leadership to overcome regional grievances to create a strong and united Canada.
In 2025, Canada course corrected on past policy missteps. We hope 2026 is a year where Canada makes its rhetorical commitments to reform a reality, and addresses some of the deep-rooted policy challenges that have long undercut our potential.
I am outta here. Took me fifteen seconds to discover your fake claim to represent “Canadian”news. Just another RW rag, likely a META plant.