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Operations and Priorities

The uniqueness and principal source of the Council's strength flows from the personal commitment and engagement of individual chief executives. This has enabled the Council both to be a leader in developing and winning support for new ideas and to react quickly and effectively to changing circumstances.

The Council also has been recognized for its ability to forge consensus on complex issues. This is primarily because emphasis in studies and deliberations is placed on achieving the best outcome for Canadian workers and enterprises, and for the country as a whole. Advocacy of individual company or sectoral concerns is not within the Council's mandate.

Governance and the overall direction of the Council is provided by the Board of Directors, a 24-member body which meets three times annually. The process of developing policy, however, involves all members of the Council.

The full membership meets three times a year to discuss priority issues and review progress on the Council's work programme. Members also engage directly in policy work throughout the year in three major areas: Canada, North America and the world.

• Within Canada, the Council's work on national issues addresses primarily fiscal and monetary policy, taxation, regulatory, environmental, competitiveness and corporate governance.
• In North America, the Council focuses primarily on issues related to Canada - United States economic interdependence, integration and security as well as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
• Globally, the Council's work addresses primarily international finance, trade, investment and development policy as well as multilateral, regional and bilateral relationships beyond North America.

In addition, the Council creates special initiatives and temporary task forces to deal with specific priority issues. Members also participate in a variety of special events, roundtables and other initiatives relevant to the Council's mandate.

Day-to-day leadership of the Council is provided by the Chief Executive and President working in concert with the Council's Chairman and with the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. The current Chairman is Hartley T. Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of James Richardson & Sons, Limited.

The Council's Chief Executive and President is the Honourable John P. Manley. He is the Council's chief of policy and strategy. An Ottawa-based staff reports to him, provides policy research and supports the Council's committees and initiatives.

Chart: CCCE Organization and Priorities. Download PDF.