Setting a New Normal through a Bold Recovery

The crisis we and the world continue to confront seriously affects public health and our social and economic well-being. There will be no quick return to normal, nor should there be.We live in perilous times. The pandemic reminds us of the need for collective action to achieve the common good, as it has starkly spotlighted long-standing cracks in our social and economic foundations. The next budget must focus on immediate needs—public health and income security—but it must also set a course for fundamental change based on a social democratic vision of a fair, green, and just recovery for all. Canada can set a new normal in recovery by implementing these key elements: Strong federal leadership to uphold economic and social rights through a new “Social Union” agreement with Provinces and territories. A clean economy guided by comprehensive regulation and led by public investment. Putting the caring economy front and centre in our recovery. A model federal labour code that establishes fair standards. Providing income security for everyone. Tax reform to finance a recovery for all, and reduce large inequalities of income and wealth. We need to more than simply survive this crisis and get the economy moving while repairing the most serious cracks in our social foundations. We need a fundamental change of direction—not a “return to normal,” not a rhetorical and empty “reset,” not a narrow “stimulus,” but a true transformation. This report is part of our Essential Solutions Project, which brings together experts across multiple disciplines to generate innovative answers to the complex challenges we face right now, and chart a path towards a more equitable and resilient future for all of us. Download Report Setting a New Normal through a Bold Recovery