Globe and Mail: Can ambition triumph over stagnation in Carney’s Ottawa?
Prime Minister Mark Carney narrowly survived a confidence vote on his budget in November, exposing tensions between his long-term economic vision and Ottawa’s entrenched culture of short-term political fixes and weak execution, writes Laurence B. Mussio, chair of the Long Run Institute and fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Central to his agenda is the new Major Projects Office, launched in August to accelerate approvals, cut regulatory timelines and unlock $60 billion in stalled capital, with major energy, nuclear and infrastructure projects now under review. Critics question whether the federal government can deliver beyond announcements. With productivity lagging the United States, provincial buy-in uncertain and markets watching closely, the success of Carney’s strategy hinges on whether promised reforms translate into shovels in the ground before institutional inertia reasserts itself, Mussio says.
