Canada must do everything it can to strengthen itself. To control the controllable. That starts with committing to an outcomes-based regulatory framework that upholds Canada’s trusted reputation with international customers. In Canada, over 90 per cent of forestry takes place on lands managed by the provinces. Forest management planning at the provincial level involves rigorous consideration of ecosystem values, Indigenous and non-Indigenous community-based consultations and balancing local needs with economic, social and environmental benefits. In recent years, the federal government has overlapped multiple regulations and frequently intervened in provincially approved forest management plans. This has chilled strategic investments and has been a productivity and competitiveness killer, driving more investment south of the border. The adverse impacts of increased costs and regulatory duplication and delays on top of market challenges, have been immense. …Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet mandate calls for innovative governance to boost productivity, reduce trade barriers and attract private investment.