Over time, a small number of powerful industries have grown comfortable behind a shield of false “Canadian protectionism.”
What was once marketed as a way to safeguard national industries has become a framework that protects insiders, legacy players, and concentrated corporate power — not the Canadian public.
- Under this outdated system:
- Competition is restricted
- Innovation is slowed
- Prices rise unchecked
- Productivity falls
Canadians pay more while receiving less
Entire sectors — from transportation and telecommunications to finance and agriculture — operate within legacy rules designed decades ago, insulated from real market discipline.
These rules no longer encourage affordability, resilience, or innovation; they preserve the advantages of a few at the expense of millions.
The result is predictable:
higher costs, fewer choices, weaker productivity, and an economy that struggles to keep pace with global standards.
This structure rewards size, influence, and political access — not efficiency, service, or value for Canadians.
And because it is protected by regulation, subsidies, and entrenched political interests, it remains in place long after its purpose has expired.
Protectionism that does not protect Canadians is not protectionism —
it is structural failure.
This failure is visible in every region:
Families struggling with rising bills
- Small businesses squeezed by dominant players
Farmers paying more for inputs and receiving less for outputs
- Consumers trapped by inflated prices and limited options
Provinces unable to coordinate national strategies or compete globally
- A system meant to protect Canada has become a system that protects itself, leaving Canadians exposed to soaring costs, stagnation, and declining opportunity.
This is why reform is not optional.
It is essential to our future.