Compas Poll / Survey

The CEOs and business leaders on the COMPAS business panel were asked for their views about the best ways for Canadian governments to protect and foster Canadian-owned and Canadian resident players in Global markets. The survey was conducted followed a spate of foreign takeovers of Canadian global players and during a period of uncertainty about the role of ALCAN.

The panel sees government investment reviews and ownership control as a blow against both business and taxpayers. Investment controls would depress investment in Canada and ill-informed investment review-related decisions by government could end up cost taxpayers millions, according to the overwhelming view among panelists.

For Canada to protect, encourage, and foster global players, our governments need transparent and predictable tax regimes along with wise investments in support of physical and social infrastructures, not investment controls. That is the overwhelming view of the panel.

These are the key findings from the past week’s web survey of the COMPAS CEO and business leader panel undertaken for The Financial Post under sponsorship of BDO Dunwoody LLP.