Canada Must Pursue Diminished Reliance on US, Harper Says

Former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper addressed the Canada Investment Summit in Toronto on September 15, 2026. Harper currently serves as chairman of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation and is co-founder of Vision-One Management.

In his speech, Harper emphasized the importance of maintaining Canada's sovereignty amidst ongoing trade tensions with the United States. He stated that the Canadian government was right to walk away from trade talks and pursue a diminished reliance on the US.

Harper expressed his admiration for America but noted that the current US administration views Canada's economic integration as incompatible with its separate sovereignty. To maintain this sovereignty, Harper believes Canada must become more internally competitive, externally connected, and truly sovereign.

He highlighted Canada's unique economic structure and opportunities, including a diverse economy across primary, secondary, tertiary, and advanced technology sectors. Harper emphasized the importance of retaining this diversity and not allowing the US to hollow out Canadian industrial capacities.