With all levels of Canadian government responding to the global pandemic at an unprecedented rate, our public affairs experts Anna Lilly, Jennifer Anthony, Mark Reder and Pierre Cyr teamed up with Greg Lyle, President of Innovative Research Group for a lively discussion of government relations in the COVID-19 era.  

After Greg kicked off the webinar by providing the latest Canadian polling numbers on COVID-19, our team offered political insights on current priorities for governments at all levels and how organizations should navigate government relations amid the pandemic.

Let’s start with some of the most interesting statistics that framed our conversation:

Personal financial confidence remains high. Most Canadians (53%) believe the country is moving into a severe recession. However, thanks to government financial assistance programs, 68% of Canadians feel at least ‘somewhat confident’ they will be able to meet their household’s needs during the outbreak.

‍Confidence in government remains strong. 58% of Canadians are satisfied with the federal government’s response to COVID-19. Provincial government approval is highest in Quebec and Atlantic Canada, and is improving in Ontario, while the Alberta government received the lowest scores. (In this case, it’s important to note the province went into the pandemic with significant economic issues.)

Canadians remain cautious. Almost nine-in-ten (89%) Canadians support the enforcement of isolation for people returning from other countries, and 84% believe it’s too soon to start opening businesses.    

What does this tell us? It’s clear that openness and transparency will be key for governments at all levels as we move towards recovery. However, our government will also look for signals from businesses on how to react and what to react to. In order to be heard and to help, it’s important for companies to continue to engage with government.  

Right now, the government’s focus is rightfully on helping people, so everything must map back to this objective. Businesses with the opportunity to meet with local, provincial or federal government will need to show how their ideas impact Canadians, rather than just industry.

There will be a big role for businesses to play in helping government stimulate the economy towards recovery, but a company’s message will have to be expertly framed and communicated in order to be heard and acted on.  

To watch a replay of our webinar, click here.  

If your organization needs support or advice in these uncertain times, here’s where you can find the latest news, insights and resources related to COVID-19.

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