The CCCE is the senior voice of Canada’s business community, representing 150 chief executives and leading entrepreneurs in all sectors and regions of the country.
 
“Companies across the country, in sectors ranging from energy and natural resources to construction, manufacturing and services, are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit employees with the right qualifications,” Mr. Manley said. “It’s a problem today, and if left unchecked it will only get worse, undermining opportunities for Canadian workers and contributing to slower economic growth.”
 
In today’s budget, Mr. Flaherty pledged: new funding for businesses to train unemployed and under-employed workers; expanded support for apprentices; more internships for recent post-secondary graduates; and increased assistance for groups currently under-represented in the workforce, such as disabled Canadians, Aboriginal people and immigrants. 
 
“The budget takes some important steps toward ensuring that unemployed people and young Canadians gain the skills they need to build a successful, rewarding career,” Mr. Manley said.
 
“What Canada needs now is a comprehensive strategy to better align education and training with the skills employers need. No one player can do this alone. The federal government, provinces and territories, educators, parents and students all must be part of the solution. And of course employers have a critical role to play in signaling their future needs and effectively training their workers.”
 
Among other welcome measures in the budget, Mr. Manley singled out:

At the same time, the CCCE highlighted two specific areas of concern to Canada’s business community:

While endorsing the government’s desire to increase the integrity of Canada’s tax system, Mr. Manley said the CCCE will want to take a closer look at the new business tax rules announced today to ensure they do not have unintended consequences.

“The federal government’s reforms to the corporate tax system since 2006 have dramatically improved Canada’s investment climate, creating jobs and spurring growth. It is vital to ensure that today’s announced changes do not erode our country’s international tax competitiveness,” he said.

Hosted by the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE) and the Canadian International Council (CIC), the half-day, invitation-only conference brought together approximately 100 business leaders, government officials, educators, policy experts and students. The full program, which will run from 8:45 a.m. to 12 noon, was live-streamed on the web. 

The conference featured a keynote address by Dr. Rick Miner, author of “People Without Jobs, Jobs Without People”, two panel discussions moderated by Steve Paikin, host of TVO’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin, and closing remarks by Gerald McCaughey, President and Chief Executive Officer of CIBC.

Panel participants, in alphabetical order:

• Dr. Arvind Gupta, Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director, Mitacs
• Linda Hasenfratz, Chief Executive Officer, Linamar Corporation
• Veronica Lacey, President and Chief Executive Officer, Veronica Lacey & Associates
• Sheldon Levy, President and Vice Chancellor, Ryerson University
• Sachin Maharaj, Graduate student, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
• Jim Stanford, Economist, Canadian Auto Workers
• Margaret Wente, Columnist, The Globe and Mail
• Dr. Qiang Zha, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, York University

Click here to download the conference agenda and speaker bios.

The conference was part of the CCCE’s “Canada in the Pacific Century” initiative, and followed the publication of a series of papers in 2012, as well as a two-day conference in Ottawa in September 2012 and a half-day conference in Calgary in December 2012.
 
The CCCE is the senior voice of Canada’s business community, representing the CEOs and entrepreneurs of 150 leading Canadian corporations in all sectors and regions of the country. For more information, visit www.ceocouncil.ca.
 
The CIC is an independent, member-based council established to strengthen Canada’s role in international affairs. The CIC uses its deep historical roots, its cross-country network, and its active research program to advance debate on international issues across academic disciplines, policy areas, and economic sectors. For more information, visit www.opencanada.org.

“Eric has a wealth of experience in policy development, trade and industrial sector negotiations and the identification and management of sectoral issues and strategies. He served most recently as Industry Canada’s representative at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C, where he acted as the point person in identifying and pursuing policy priorities for Industry Canada in the US.  He served as a member of Canada’s team that developed the 2011 Beyond the Border Action Plan. Prior to this he acted as a Washington advisor for the Canadian Government’s investments in the 2009 restructuring of the North American auto industry.

“Eric has also worked as an independent consultant managing export development and trade projects in Latin America and the Caribbean.  Working as a consultant between 1996-2005 with the Integration and Trade Development Department of the Inter-American Development Bank, he advised governments throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on trade negotiations and trade development strategies. During this period Eric worked on four free trade negotiations between the United States and Latin America, including Central America, Panama, Peru and Colombia.

“Eric holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs from Carleton University, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Saint Mary’s University, and has completed the Executive Program at the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.

“I look forward to welcoming Eric to the CCCE team. His skills, knowledge and action orientation will be an asset to the Council in moving forward on its priorities.”

“Ailish has a solid background as a policy leader on economic, international and trade issues,” Mr. Manley said. “She comes to us most recently from Industry Canada, where she has been Director General of the Manufacturing and Life Sciences Branch.  Previously at Industry Canada she worked on the implementation of the Competition Policy Review Panel chaired by L.R. (Red) Wilson, which produced legislative amendments to the Investment Canada Act and the Competition Act.

“In addition to Industry Canada, Ailish has held executive positions in the Privy Council Office, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.  In these positions, she has worked on intellectual property issues including changes to the Copyright Act, foreign investment, and trade issues including softwood lumber.   She has also been a member of Canada’s negotiating team in the Doha Round of trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization.  Throughout these activities her advice has centred on how to make Canada and Canadian firms more globally competitive.   

“Ailish holds a Doctorate from Oxford University where she taught before joining the federal public service.  She also holds Masters’ and Bachelor of Arts Degrees respectively from the London School of Economics and Queen’s University.

“I believe that Ailish brings a combination of policy skills, knowledge and experience which will be an enormous asset to the Council in moving forward on its priorities.”

“By helping to streamline cross-border travel and trade, these initiatives are promoting economic growth, job creation and competitiveness,” said The Honourable John Manley, President and CEO of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE). The CCCE is the senior voice of Canada’s business community, representing 150 chief executives and leading entrepreneurs in all sectors and regions of the country.

Mr Manley was commenting on the release of two progress reports, one dealing with the Canada-U.S. Border Action Plan and the other on the Regulatory Cooperation Council Joint Action Plan. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama announced the two plans during a meeting at the White House in December 2011.

Today’s reports offer a range of examples of progress in improving cross-border travel and commerce, including:

• The launch of a pilot project under which Canadian border guards screen international shipments at the Port of Prince Rupert for cargo destined to the United States by rail, without the requirement for a second inspection on the U.S. side of the border. Embracing the principle of “cleared once, accepted twice”, the concept will soon be implemented at the Port of Montreal for marine cargo destined for the United States by truck.

• Enhancements to the NEXUS program for low-risk, pre-approved travelers, making it faster and easier for them to cross the Canada-U.S. border at designated air, land and marine ports of entry.

• Mutual recognition of air cargo security programs for passenger aircraft, eliminating the need in most cases for baggage re-screenings when Canadian travelers change planes in the United States.

• The issuance, last May, of an executive order by President Obama aimed at reducing unnecessary regulatory differences that increase costs for companies doing business across the border.

Despite those advances, Mr. Manley noted that many of the key measures in the Beyond the Border initiative have yet to be implemented, and some have fallen behind schedule. For example, the two governments are still negotiating the terms of a comprehensive pre-clearance system for land, rail and marine cargo, even though a plan was supposed to be finalized by December 2012. In addition, Canada and the United States have yet to produce a joint inventory of border fees together with an assessment of their economic impact. The inventory was scheduled to have been made public in September 2012.

“We look forward to further progress in transforming the Beyond the Border vision into action, and we urge the Canadian and U.S. governments to provide the public with more frequent updates – ideally on a quarterly basis,” Mr. Manley said.

“At a time when competition globally is growing ever more intense, it is critical that our governments do everything possible to enhance the efficiency of North American supply chains and strengthen the ability of companies on both sides of the border to grow and create jobs.”

The conference included keynote remarks by The Honourable Ken Hughes, Minister of Energy, Alberta, and Grand Chief Edward John, a Hereditary Chief of Tl’azt’en Nation in Northern BC and Chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

In addition, panel discussions considered:

• the role of state-owned enterprises as investors in Canada’s oil and gas industry
• opportunities and challenges in exporting Canadian energy products to Asian markets

Panelists included:

• Hal Kvisle, President and CEO, Talisman Energy
• John Zahary, President and CEO, Sunshine Oilsands
• Paul Evans, Institute of Asian Research and Liu Institute for Global Issues, University of British Columbia
• Ray Boisvert, former assistant director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
• Richard L. (Rick) George, Chairman, Osum Oil Sands
• Lorraine Mitchelmore, President and Canada Country Chair, Shell Canada
• Ellis Ross, Chief Councillor of the Haisla Nation, Kitamaat Village, BC
• Michal C. Moore, Professor of Economics, The School of Public Policy, University of Calgary

View a video recording of the proceedings here.

Click here to download the conference program.

This symposium was part of the CCCE’s “Canada in the Pacific Century” initiative, and follows the publication of a series of papers earlier this year as well as a two-day conference in Ottawa in September.

“The decision to approve the acquisitions of Nexen Inc. and Progress Energy Resources Corp. sends a positive signal to investors in Canada and around the world. Canada welcomes foreign investment because it is good for our economy, good for job creation and increases competition, which in turn strengthens productivity.

“Canada’s population is small relative to those of the other major advanced economies, and we have a tremendous need for capital to develop our industrial base and achieve our potential as a leading exporter of energy and advanced energy technologies. At the same time, companies looking to invest in Canada must play by our rules and respect our values, adhering to Canadian laws, regulations, and environmental and labour standards.

“Based on a preliminary review, it appears that the guidelines introduced today will safeguard the national interest while ensuring that Canadians continue to reap the benefits of a welcoming approach to foreign investment. Equally significant, the guidelines recognize the essential role of private enterprise and free market principles in driving economic growth and prosperity. The government deserves to be congratulated both for taking the necessary time to evaluate these applications and for adopting a balanced approach to the evaluation of foreign direct investment.”

The CCCE is the senior voice of Canada’s business community, representing 150 chief executives and leading entrepreneurs in all sectors and regions of the country. Its members lead companies that collectively administer $4.5 trillion in assets, employ more than 1.4 million men and women and are responsible for most of Canada’s private-sector exports, investment and training.

Overall, the poll found that Canadians are divided about the implications of Asia’s growing economic power and concerned about the impact on certain industry sectors. For example, 59 per cent of respondents agreed that Canada should be more open to foreign investment, but 76 percent said they are worried that increased foreign investment could cause Canada to lose control of its natural resources.

Ipsos Reid conducted the online survey for the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE) in advance of a conference being held today and tomorrow in Ottawa on Asia’s rise and the impact on Canada’s economic future. Titled “Canada in the Pacific Century,” the conference brings together more than 200 CEOs, senior government officials, educators, policy experts, representatives of aboriginal communities and other thought leaders from across Canadian society.

Overall, 60 percent of those polled agreed with the statement that “Asia’s growing middle class population represents an opportunity for the Canadian economy”. In contrast, 40 percent agreed that “Asia’s growing economic strength represents a threat to the Canadian economy”.

On a sector-by-sector basis, 74 percent agreed that Canada’s banks and financial sector will benefit from better access to Asian markets.  Seventy-one percent said that Canada’s energy and resources sector will benefit from better access to Asia, while 68 per cent felt that way about Canada’s manufacturing sector.

At the same time, 88 per cent agreed it is important that Canada find new markets beyond the United States for its energy and resource exports. And 74 percent said that if Canada does not get more access to Asian markets, it should limit the amount of Asian investment in Canada.

For survey methodology and detailed findings, please see www.ipsos.ca.

The CCCE is the senior voice of Canada’s business community, representing 150 chief executives and leading entrepreneurs in all sectors and regions of the country. Its members lead companies that collectively administer $4.5 trillion in assets, employ more than 1.4 million men and women and are responsible for most of Canada’s private-sector exports, investment and training.

For more information about this week’s conference, visit www.PacificCentury.ca

“I am profoundly dismayed at the Competition Commissioner’s reported suggestion that big companies are bad for consumers and bad for the economy. In a world in which scale matters, our public policies must enable Canadian companies to grow to a size that allows them to contend globally as top-ranked players. Indeed, the Competition Act itself recognizes that firms may need to combine to achieve the scale necessary for efficient operation and to be competitive in international markets. Similarly, the Competition Policy Review Panel recognized in its 2008 report that scale – defined in global terms – is a key competitiveness factor for Canada’s economic future.

“Large, internationally successful Canadian companies are vital to our country’s economy on many levels — as creators of well-paid, highly skilled jobs, as drivers of innovation, as sources of capital and opportunity for smaller ventures, and of course as significant generators of corporate tax revenue. Canada needs more, not fewer, enterprises that can aspire to become champions on the global stage.”