Key Themes Shaping Canada’s 2026 Political Landscape…and What These Mean for Your Government Relations Strategy
At Davos 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a speech that earned a rare standing ovation and generated a significant boost for his favourability polling. The message landed at a pivotal time: Canada finds itself in a tense geopolitical position, with hostility to the south and increased foreign commercial and military activity in the north. Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Carney remains busy criss-crossing the globe, building and rebuilding relationships with critical trade partners.
But while increasingly dramatic foreign affairs play out on the world stage, we can’t forget the shifts and twists taking place at home — especially when and how these may impact your organization’s government relations efforts. This week, MPs returned to the House of Commons as Parliament resumes for the winter session. From our team to yours, here are the big themes to keep an eye on and how to account for them in your advocacy strategy:
Affordability & Addressing Cost-of-Living
Prime Minister Carney kicked off the Parliamentary session by announcing a suite of affordability measures designed to address the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, dubbed the “Canada Groceries and Essential Benefit.” Affordability has consistently ranked among the top issues for Canadians, from high housing costs to rising grocery bills and wages struggling to keep pace. We can expect discussions regarding the cost-of-living to continue to feature heavily during Question Period as the issue weighs on the minds of Canadian constituents and, therefore, MPs.
What does this mean for you? Advocacy and recommendations for government must be couched in the fiscal reality we find ourselves in. Consider how your messaging may be refined to better communicate the economic impact and dollar-value of your advocacy — how will this grow the Canadian economy? How may this strengthen our workforce and boost productivity? What is the tangible benefit for Canadians from coast to coast to coast?
Security & Sovereignty
Defence spending has increased wildly, and applications for the Canadian Armed Forces are increasing in tandem. Given rising tensions with our southern neighbour, this doesn’t exactly come as a surprise… and the underlying sentiment can certainly be seen in the federal government’s policy priorities and positioning, as well as public behaviour.
From doubling down on defence spending, re-emphasizing rhetoric on Canada’s sovereignty, and implementing initiatives like the Buy Canadian Policy, the focus is on supporting Canadian sustainability and resilience. This is reflected in market and consumer activity, with Canadians preferring to purchase Canadian-made products and Canadian-based businesses favoured in procurement processes.
It is important to evaluate how your organization can incorporate this context into your messaging. What is your connection to Canadian culture and heritage? Is your history uniquely Canadian? How can you tell this story in a way that is compelling and relevant? Lean into your Canadian roots — it is, now more than ever, your competitive (and political) advantage.
Development & Data Centres
Development remains another core area of focus. The federal government’s 2025 infrastructure agenda positions CA$115 billion in planned investments as a nation‑building effort focused on strengthening supply chains, expanding critical infrastructure, accelerating housing, advancing Arctic defence, and establishing data centres to assert Canadian digital sovereignty and increase capacity for AI.
This is a growth mindset, and it’s tied intrinsically to innovation. The federal government is increasingly seeking creative (and fiscally responsible) solutions to big problems. If your organization is hoping to influence federal policy or land a grant, it is critical to consider how your position meets expectations. Groups that can demonstrate how their proposals strengthen national resilience, unlock productivity, and/or contribute to technological leadership will be far better positioned to shape the government’s priorities.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: as much as possible, and as is reasonable, your advocacy should aim to align with government priorities and reflect the real needs of real Canadians. Our team is here to help you do just that. Book a call with one of our public affairs experts today to learn how we can work together to up the ante on your advocacy.
P.S… We just can’t publish this piece without referencing another critical update… Crave’s new hit romance drama, Heated Rivalry, has taken the world by storm. British Columbia’s own Hudson Williams (a.k.a Canada’s Shane Hollander) was one of the official torchbearers for the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics! Rarely has a piece of Canadian media made such an immediate and expansive impact on the global arts and culture scene, and we are delighted to see it receive the credit it deserves. For fans of romance, hockey, and happy (ish) endings, we at Impact Public Affairs cannot recommend it enough.