The ‘Century Initiative’ is the talk of the campaign, but what is it?

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OTTAWA — The campaign may have just begun, but Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre already looks to have found his favourite target: the Liberal-linked Century Initiative.

The little known pro-immigration lobby group, which seeks to grow Canada’s population to 100 million by 2100, has been on Poilievre’s lips a lot in the campaign’s opening stretch, after Liberal Leader Mark Carney added Century Initiative co-founder Mark Wiseman to his advisory council on Canada-U.S. relations last week.

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Poilievre said Friday, at a pre-writ skilled trades announcement in suburban Ottawa, the appointment shows the Liberal leader shares the group’s controversial vision for a more crowded Canada.

“By bringing on Mr. Wiseman, it shows that Mark Carney supports the Liberal Century Initiative to nearly triple our population to 100 million people,” Poilievre said in response to a question on the topic.

“That is the radical Liberal agenda on immigration.”

Carney, who’s said he’ll scale back immigration to pre-pandemic levels, has distanced himself from the group, telling reporters at Rideau Hall on Sunday that intake should stay capped until the housing crunch has abated.

He added in French that Quebec should have the right to determine “a rhythm of immigration that allows for integration.”

Here are a few things to know about the group that wants to supersize Canada.

What is the Century Initiative?

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Founded in 2014, the group bills itself as a “diverse, non-partisan network of Canadians from the business, academic and charitable sectors” who share a vision of a more populous and prosperous Canada with more pull on the global stage.

The group favours both immigration and more domestic births, advocating for Canada to meet the OECD average of 1.6 children per woman by the next decade, reversing the current record low of 1.3. births.

According to the Initiative’s website, its day-to-day activities include education, advocacy and meeting with key decision-makers. Notably, it publishes a yearly national scorecard on Canada’s growth and prosperity.

The Century Initiative was added to Canada’s Registry of Lobbyists in 2021, but is currently listed as inactive.

Who are its members?

The Century Initiative was co-founded by Wiseman and fellow businessperson Dominic Barton in 2014. Barton went on to chair Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth, and was tapped by Trudeau in 2019 as Canada’s 21st Ambassador to China.

Barton, who was also a central figure in a scandal involving Liberal government contracts to his ex-firm McKinsey & Company, is no longer affiliated with the group.

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From 2016 to 2019, Wiseman was a senior executive at BlackRock, a New York-based investment firm that’s been accused of driving up housing prices by buying up large quantities of homes.

Wiseman was let go by BlackRock in late 2019 after failing to disclose a romantic relationship with a subordinate.

The group has nine directors, 15 affiliated experts and a three-person Council of Champions, according to its website.

One notable member is ex-Edmonton mayor Don Iveson, who is rumoured to be eyeing a federal run as a Liberal. Business Council of Canada head Goldy Hyder and retired Trudeau Senate appointee Ratna Omidvar are also members.

Why 100 million?

The group says that the target of 100 million Canadians by 2100 is carefully chosen, based on future economic and national security needs.

“100 million isn’t an arbitrary number. It’s the population we need for Canada to remain a prosperous and diverse society with relevance on the international stage,” reads the group’s website.

What does it make of all the attention?

The group recently tacked a note to its landing page pushing back against “misleading claims” that have circulated in the early days of the campaign.

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“Let’s set the record straight… Our mission is to ensure long-term, responsible economic growth for Canada by advocating for a national smart growth framework,” reads the note.

“This means aligning immigration with strategic investments in housing, infrastructure, and public services.”

“Efforts to mischaracterize our work are politically opportunistic and do a disservice to voters. We remain committed to facts, informed policy, and Canada’s future.”

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