CEO John Graham said CPP Investment is actively looking to grow its Canadian assets, as the federal government pledges to support major infrastructure projects. At a Canadian Club event Monday afternoon, Graham emphasized, however, the need for the pension to be free from political influence, which he called the fund’s “secret to success.” (The Logic)

Talking point: Pressure to invest more domestically has long been in tension with pensions’ mandates to maximize returns long into the future. Graham and other pension leaders are cautiously warming to the idea, as Ottawa promises support for the type of projects that appeal to their funds. CPP—which manages over $730 billion in assets on behalf of 22 million Canadians—is tinkering with its exposure outside Canada, too.The fund isn’t “chasing U.S. equities,” which Graham said is too concentrated in a few technology companies. And its appetite for Chinese assets has waned somewhat in the past few years, he said. That’s not to say CPP is avoiding these markets. “Diversification is an act of humility,” he said. “We don’t know exactly how the world is going to shake out.”