Investment in growth produces results for all

Canada’s government is inspired by a simple but powerful idea: growth must benefit everyone. Making sure that every person has a real and fair chance at success is both the right thing to do and the smart thing to do – it is an essential part of building a strong and growing middle class today, and ensuring sustained economic growth over the long term.

Canada has experienced the benefits of this inclusive approach first-hand. Over the past two years, hard-working Canadians have created more than half a million new jobs, the unemployment rate is at the lowest level we have seen in more than 40 years, and consumer confidence is on the rise. The resulting economic growth has made it possible for our government to continue to invest in the things that matter to Canadians, while making steady improvements to our bottom line.

It is clear that investing in growth that works for everyone has delivered good results for Canada and Canadians, and that is why we made it a central theme of our G7 presidency this year. It is our hope that by working together, Canada and our G7 partners will be able to advance solutions to the pressing challenges we all face, including helping our workers prepare for the jobs of the future, advancing gender equality, addressing climate change, protecting oceans, investing in clean energy, and building a more peaceful and secure world.

For our part, we continue to look for new and innovative ways to ensure that everyone can contribute to – and share in – the benefits of economic growth. In particular, we know that Canada’s economic success is deeply tied to women’s ability to work and to earn a good living from that work. That is why our most recent budget included a special focus on creating more opportunities for Canada’s talented, ambitious and hard-working women. From giving women-owned companies the help they need to grow into world-class businesses to changes to employment insurance benefits to promote more equal parenting and make it easier for women to return to work, our government is committed to building a country that is more equal – and more prosperous.

By bringing together G7 finance and development ministers, as well as central bank governors, we hope to explore ways to better support and empower the world’s most vulnerable and marginalised people – including women and girls – while working together to secure stronger economic growth for all.

Shared responsibility
This year’s G7 themes reflect the challenges we all face in a rapidly evolving world, and signal our shared accountability. As Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau has said, “as G7 partners, we share a responsibility to ensure that all citizens benefit from our global economy and that we leave a healthier, more peaceful and more secure world for our children and grandchildren.”

Investing in growth that works for everyone is central to that responsibility. Every person deserves an equal chance to contribute to, and share in, the economic success of our countries. Together, we can make that happen.