MONTREAL — Canada could enjoy a “breakaway decade” of economic growth if businesses invest more to improve productivity, the head of the Royal Bank of Canada said Monday.

Gordon Nixon told a Canadian Club audience in Montreal that Canada has the potential to significantly outperform the developed world in terms of economic growth and social leadership. Read more

While our Government is taking action to create stability now, we are also working to strengthen our economy and ensure economic growth in the future. We believe that the creativity, ingenuity, and common-sense of Canada’s entrepreneurs, small business owners and hard-working families are what will drive our country’s long-term prosperity.  The Harper Government knows that the key to Canada’s economic success is our commitment to free trade. And we are delivering countless new trade opportunities so that Canadian businesses of all sizes can expand into new markets more easily, and on freer, more competitive terms of access than ever before.

Since elected in 2006, our Government has concluded new free trade agreements with Colombia, Peru, Jordan, Panama and the European Free Trade Association states of Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Conservatives believe in preserving Canada’s environment without jeopardizing our economy. They recognize that increased usage of biofuels could be helpful in reducing Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions while creating clean energy jobs for today and in the future.  That’s why the Conservative Government is taking action by investing in a project based in Quebec that will convert vegetable oil, cooking oil or animal fat to produce about 40 million litres of biodiesel per year.   They have also finalized regulations that will require gasoline to include an average annual 5 per cent renewable fuel content by the end of the year. Read more