Related News: "North American Security and Prosperity"
Federal budget will improve skills training, but developing modern and efficient labour markets requires ongoing commitment, business leaders say
OTTAWA – The 2013-2014 federal budget includes a number of measures to address Canada’s labour market requirements, but much more needs to be done at all levels of society to ensure that skill shortages do not choke economic growth, according to the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE).
“Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has put his finger squarely on the problem: far too many well-paid jobs are going unfilled because employers can’t find people with the right skills,” said The Honourable John Manley, the CCCE’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
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 … Read more »
CEOs welcome progress in implementing Canada-U.S. border and regulatory cooperation plans
In the 12 months since the launch of the Canada-U.S. Beyond the Border and Joint Regulatory Cooperation initiatives, the two governments have achieved solid progress in several important areas, Canada’s business leaders say.
“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.
U.S., Canadian and Mexican Business Leaders Discuss Ways to Strengthen the North American Economy
Today, members of Business Roundtable (BRT), the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE), and Mexico’s Consejo Mexicano de Hombres de Negocios (CMHN) issued a joint statement following a dynamic meeting in Washington focused on North American competitiveness, trade, and energy issues of common interest.
“BRT, CMHN and CCCE have a long history of working together to strengthen the beneficial economic ties among our respective nations. While the North American market is huge, and trade between Canada, Mexico and the United States is healthy and growing, we need to seek ways to make our market more globally competitive.
“Over the past two decades, growth in North American trade and investment has promoted regional, cross-border supply chains that have benefited the United States, Canada and Mexico alike. However, at a time of major change in the global economy, our organizations believe it is essential that we continue to enhance the ability of U.S., Canadian and Mexican companies and workers to compete internationally.
“Our organizations endorse Mexico’s and Canada’s joining the United States and eight other Pacific Rim nations in the ongoing Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. The TPP will not only help strengthen North American economic ties, but also holds the promise … Read more »
Aboriginal communities must be ‘true partners’ in energy projects, Canada’s business leaders say
Aboriginal peoples must be true partners in resource and energy projects, and Canadian companies should work with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to help them realize the benefits of economic development, the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE) says in a new report.
“Many of Canada’s richest resource and energy assets are found near Aboriginal communities,” says the report, copies of which were sent to all Canadian premiers and territorial leaders in advance of their meeting in Halifax later this month. Titled Framing an Energy Strategy for Canada, the submission offers a series of recommendations for a Canadian energy strategy.
The CCCE is the senior voice of Canadian business, representing the CEOs and entrepreneurs of 150 leading companies.
In its submission to the premiers, the CCCE acknowledges that Aboriginal peoples have “legitimate concerns” about major resource developments, “including implications for land claims, the impact on their communities and way of life, as well as on the land, air and water around them.”
At the same time, the report says that energy and other resource development projects can provide native communities with a wide array of benefits, such revenue-sharing agreements, equity interests, improved employment opportunities, training and service contracts … Read more »
Announcement of second bridge at Detroit-Windsor a major step forward, Manley says
Comments by The Honourable John Manley, President and CEO of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, on today’s announcement of the construction of a second bridge linking Detroit and Windsor:
“The trade relationship between Canada and the United States is unparalleled in the world. In 2010, bilateral trade reached $645 billion. Fully a quarter of that trade enters or leaves Canada at the Detroit-Windsor crossing. Commercial traffic in that corridor is expected to triple in the next three decades. Today’s announcement of the planned construction of a second bridge is a major step forward for our bilateral trading relationship, and will mean faster, more reliable border crossings. Today our supply chains are so highly integrated that it is more accurate to speak of products as being ‘Made in North America’ rather than simply Canada or the United States. This much-anticipated second bridge will help companies that rely on just-in-time production to keep costs down and improve their competitiveness. The construction of the new bridge and the business that will stem from it will support and create thousands of new jobs in both countries. Though a great deal of work remains before this goal is realized, today’s announcement by Prime Minister … Read more »
Canada-U.S. Border Action Plan will reduce costs, boost trade and create jobs, CEOs say
The Joint Action Plan announced today by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama contains an impressive range of practical, targeted measures that will speed up legitimate trade and travel across the Canada-U.S. border, create jobs and strengthen economic growth, according to the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE).
“For companies, workers, and travellers, this plan represents solid progress toward a smarter, more efficient Canada-U.S. border,” said The Honourable John Manley, President and Chief Executive Officer of the CCCE. “It will break down barriers to trade, reduce costs and improve the flow of goods and people between our two countries.”
The CCCE is the senior voice of Canada’s business community, representing 150 chief executives and leading entrepreneurs from all major sectors and regions of the country.
“The Canada-U.S. partnership is crucial to both countries,” Mr. Manley said. “By improving border management and aligning regulatory standards for a range of products and sectors, the Action Plan will significantly improve the economic environment in Canada and the United States, promote job creation and encourage new business investment.”
Of equal importance, Mr. Manley said, the Action Plan creates a framework for further progress in years ahead, both in terms of border management … Read more »
Manley praises ‘important step forward’ by energy ministers
Comments by The Honourable John Manley, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, on the conclusion of this week’s annual meeting of energy ministers in Kananaskis, AB:
“Federal, provincial and territorial ministers have taken an important step forward in recognizing a shared energy vision for Canada and agreeing to work together to maximize the potential of Canada’s diverse energy resources.
“The priorities they identified for further collaboration are the right ones, including the need to make regulatory processes more efficient, transparent and timely. This is critical to ensure that major energy projects that will benefit all Canadians proceed on a timely basis.
“We were pleased to see broad agreement on the need for Canada to seek out new export opportunities for our energy resources, to encourage more public-private sector cooperation in the development of innovative energy technologies, and to improve the resiliency of the country’s electricity transmission infrastructure.
“A national energy strategy cannot be accomplished in one meeting. Business leaders across the country look forward to seeing meaningful progress on these priorities by the time Canada’s energy ministers meet again next year.”
Founded in 1976, the CCCE is a non-partisan organization that engages in public
Time For A Canadian Energy Strategy, Business Leaders Say
Canada’s federal and provincial governments should agree on a long-term strategy that will position Canada as a global leader in the transition to cleaner energy while maximizing the economic benefits of Canada’s diverse energy resources, the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE) said today.
“There is no lack of ideas on how to strengthen Canada’s energy advantage. What is needed is focus, discipline and follow-through,” the CCCE says in a report to energy minsters in advance of their meeting later this week in Kananaskis, Alberta.
The CCCE is Canada’s premier business association, representing 150 chief executive officers and leading entrepreneurs in all sectors and regions of the country.
“Canada is blessed with abundant energy resources, as well as the skills and technology that are required to develop them,” said The Honourable John Manley, the CCCE’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “But our future as an energy leader is not guaranteed. We need smart policy and private sector commitment to spur the necessary investments and realize the jobs and other benefits for Canadians from coast to coast.”
The report, titled Kananaskis 2011: Building an Agenda for a Sound Energy Future, puts forward a number of key recommendations for the energy … Read more »
Bold Action Needed to Promote Canada-U.S. Security and Economic Growth, CCCE Says
Closer collaboration between Canada and the United States will improve each country’s ability to address security risks while promoting job creation and economic growth, says a new report from the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE). But Canada must act quickly and boldly to take advantage of this opportunity.
On Feb. 4, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama launched a new initiative to improve bilateral cooperation. The leaders’ Declaration on a Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness led to the creation of the Beyond the Border Working Group, which is negotiating a joint action plan to enhance security and accelerate legitimate flows of people, goods and services between our two countries.
The CCCE’s recommendations to the Working Group are contained in a report titled “From Vision to Action: Advancing the Canada-United States Partnership”, released today.
“We need to strike while the iron is hot,” said The Honourable John Manley, President and Chief Executive Officer of the CCCE. “Canada and the United States should move quickly to improve our shared border infrastructure and deploy the most up-to-date security technology. Early progress in a number of key areas will give us the momentum to see through other … Read more »
Stronger Canada-U.S. Partnership Will Strengthen Economy And Promote Job Creation, CEOs Say
Today’s agreement between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama to improve cooperation on trade and border management represents an important step forward in Canada-U.S. relations, says The Honourable John Manley, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE).
“The real significance here is that the Prime Minister and the President have personally committed themselves to building a stronger bilateral relationship,” Mr. Manley said.
The comprehensive framework agreement signed by the two leaders in Washington, D.C., will help to underpin the economic recovery, strengthen job creation and make North America a more attractive destination for foreign investment, Mr. Manley added.
The CCCE is the senior voice of Canada’s business community, representing 150 chief executives and leading entrepreneurs from all major sectors and regions of the country.
Canada’s business leaders are committed to working with governments at all levels to ensure that today’s vision of a more modern and efficient border becomes reality as soon as possible, Mr. Manley said.
As Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time of the September 11, 2001, terrorist strikes, Mr. Manley helped to negotiate the 30-point Smart Border Action Plan to improve border security, information-sharing and law enforcement … Read more »
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