Over the past few days, there has been a lot of discussion about how the global environment is changing, and what that means for countries like Canada.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke candidly about a world where geopolitical competition is increasingly expressed through economic tools. Tariffs, supply chains, standards, financial infrastructure, and market access are no longer neutral. As global rules and institutions weaken, countries are reassessing their vulnerability across systems they cannot afford to lose control of.

That framing matters for Canada’s food, health, and consumer products sector.

These are not abstract industries. They are systems Canadians rely on every day, often without thinking about them, until they are disrupted. Domestic production capacity, trusted regulatory frameworks, resilient supply chains, and public confidence are foundational to affordability, public health, and economic stability.

The Prime Minister noted that many countries are drawing the same conclusion. They must build greater strategic autonomy in critical areas such as energy, food, and supply chains. While health was not referenced explicitly, the implication is clear. A country that cannot reliably supply essential products, including medicines, health products, and regulated consumer goods, has fewer options when external shocks occur.

At the same time, this moment is not about retreating inward or rebuilding old forms of protectionism. Nostalgia is not a strategy. The previous order is not simply returning, and pretending otherwise carries risk. The challenge, particularly for middle powers like Canada, is to build strength at home while continuing to engage outward in practical, cooperative ways with partners who share common ground.

For our sector, this reality is already shaping decisions.

Domestic capability matters. Competitiveness is resilience. And trust and affordability are increasingly inseparable. In a more volatile global environment, capital flows toward jurisdictions that offer policy coherence, regulatory predictability, and a credible commitment to long-term domestic capacity.

Strength at home is not just a policy objective. It is a signal to investors, innovators, and trading partners about where durable, reliable systems can be built.

As the global context continues to evolve, Canada’s ability to remain a stable, trusted, and affordable supplier of essential goods will depend on whether we treat food, health, and consumer products manufacturing as what they are: critical systems that require modern, aligned policy frameworks to function effectively.

This op-ed was originally published on LinkedIn.