Canadian Sovereign Wealth Fund Campaign
Overview
Commonwealth Canada initiative to advocate for a Canadian sovereign wealth fund (SWF) that pays dividends from natural resource rents. Framed as “democratizing capitalism.”
Key Arguments
- Canada has ~$240B/year in economic rents from land/resources (Commonwealth research)
- Models to reference: Norway (Government Pension Fund), Alaska Permanent Fund, Australia Future Fund, Saudi Arabia PIF
- Key supporters: technologists (Sam Altman, Vinod Khosla) see SWFs as crucial for post-labor job displacement
- Growing provincial interest: Shane Parrish, Peter McKinnon (Saskatchewan)
- 3 factors for policy success: economic feasibility, influential supporters, political favorability
Current Campaign Plan
- One-page pitch optimized for policymakers/economists/business leaders
- Open letter campaign — gather signatures from politicians, candidates, economists, entrepreneurs across Canada
- Possible polling via Canadian research firm
Key People
- Ken Yang: Leading the campaign for Commonwealth Canada
- Andrew (PIF/INSEAD): External collaborator with Saudi PIF experience; co-drafting open letter
- Floyd Marinescu: Founder, Commonwealth Canada
Next Steps
- Ken + Andrew meet in person May-June 2026 to draft one-page pitch and plan campaign
- Ken to call Canadian research firm about polling options
Timeline
- 2026-03-31 | Ken and Andrew (PIF) first meeting; agreed to collaborate on open letter