Preface

By Tom Pitfield, President of Canada 2020

From “Global Progress: New Ideas for the Future of the Progressive Movement.”

This year, Canada 2020 celebrates its 10th anniversary.

We have come a long way over the past decade, and there is much for us to celebrate. I hope, however, that the decade ahead holds even more promise for the progressive ideals we cherish. They are needed now more than ever, both in Canada and around the world.

From our conception, it is fair to say that Canada 2020 sought to be not just the pre-eminent progressive think tank at home, but also a conduit for the transit of fresh thinking and the latest ideas in and out of Canada. My founding partners and I recognized that in a globalized world, insights and knowledge from abroad could help us think differently about the challenges we faced. While every country has its own unique history, many of the challenges we face are similar in nature.

Participating in the Global Progress network has, therefore, been crucial to our success and to the revival of progressive politics in Canada. We are delighted to be partnering with the Center for American Progress on this volume and to share the inspiration we found and the friendships we built with the wider progressive community. Today, the marketplace for new ideas is global. And for the first time in a generation, Canadian progressives have the opportunity to lead the debate about the future of our global movement with pride. It is an opportunity that we at Canada 2020 intend to seize.

We look forward to building global progress together.