Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said the Liberal government wants “strong Canadian-headquartered companies” and urged domestic firms to invest more in the country’s productive capacity. “We need you to believe in Canada,” she said. (The Logic)

Talking point: Freeland was responding to a question about Bell cutting 4,800 jobs, and referenced The Logic’s questions last week about how Ottawa plans to address the country’s long-stagnant productivity. As with fostering innovation, the Liberals say the government is doing plenty; now it’s on the private sector to chip in. Ministers have been touting the significant sums of foreign direct investment that Canada took in last year, as EV and material makers took up Ottawa’s green incentives. But some tech executives say policymakers are perpetuating branch-plant economics, generating jobs here but profits elsewhere. Freeland’s declaration of belief in homegrown firms echoes similar comments from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a year ago. In between, Ottawa signed many multinational deals.