Advice to government – the marketer’s perspective

The pinnacle of my entire career is the role I am currently in. To be your voice across all of Canada for the complex and invigorating profession of marketing is truly remarkable and inspiring.

One aspect of my role is to provide the unique perspective of marketers, and to reflect consumers’ needs through a marketing lens, on key public policy issues. The goal is to demonstrate to policymakers that marketing matters, and to help ensure Canada’s competitiveness and economic success.

With this in mind, I recently wrote to the Prime Minister to outline our suggested priorities for the upcoming Throne Speech, which is a blueprint for the government’s activities in the new session of Parliament. The priorities I put forward are:

• Support post-pandemic upskilling and employability initiatives, particularly for youth: The success of our economic recovery hinges on creating the best possible opportunities for people. Given the number of people whose employment was disrupted during the pandemic, it is more important than ever for government to support professional development. PD is always critical in the marketing sector where knowledge demands are constantly evolving.

• Encourage self-regulation to drive regulatory efficiencies and protect consumers: We need to protect consumers, while keeping the barriers to entry and innovation low. Self-regulation also reduces the burden on government coffers.

• Ensure balanced regulation of digital and data transformation in Canada:  The pandemic has spurred digital transformation at a pace that no one could foresee. Government policy must ensure a vibrant economy and maintain strong consumer confidence. Privacy legislation needs to remain flexible in the face of rapidly evolving technologies, business models and consumer privacy expectations. The federal and provincial governments must ensure that rules across the country are balanced and consistent.

• Recognize marketing as a key driver of Canada’s economic recovery and growth:  Marketing, at its core, means customer first. Brands who organize along this principle will have higher stability and growth. Effective marketing is critical to the success of the Canadian economy and supports local communities.

Stay safe,

John Wiltshire
President and CEO