Blogs ~ January 2018

Modernization and inclusion were two prevalent themes this past Friday during a breakfast surrounding the NAFTA negotiations organized by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in partnership with AmCham Canada.

On January 26th, in the midst of the 6th round of negotiations, over 160 business leaders and government officials from Canada, the United States and Mexico gathered in Montréal for a breakfast meeting surrounding the importance of NAFTA to the North American business community. This event featured a dynamic panel discussion hosted by Rick Tachuk, Chair of AmCham Canada with Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Moisés Kalach, Chief of International Negotiations at the CCE and Neil Herrington, VP Americas at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Ottawa, January 30, 2018 – The Canadian Chamber of Commerce announced today the appointment of Mark Agnew as Director, International Affairs.

“I’m happy to welcome Mark to our team,” said Hon. Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. “Mark’s understanding of international trade, taxation and regulatory issues, as well as the Canadian business and political environments will be instrumental in helping us to advance pro-business policies that strengthen Canada’s competitiveness and economic prosperity.”

Mr. Agnew comes to the Chamber from the British High Commission, where he was employed as a locally-engaged staff member. Most recently he was head of the High Commission’s economics and trade team, responsible for trade, agriculture, financial services and Brexit policy issues.  

 Ottawa, January 29, 2018 – NAFTA talks have passed the crucial round 6 test as the three countries moved closer towards a renewed and modernized agreement over the past week. However, much work remains to be done to achieve a positive result for North America’s businesses, says the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re encouraged that all three countries’ representatives reported progress toward a modernized agreement,” said the Hon. Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. “However, the work is far from over, including on several key issues, and there is still no guarantee of success. We urge all three governments to focus on preserving and strengthening this important agreement. Our goal must be a North America that is more competitive, more prosperous and more successful for all our citizens.”

NAFTA Modernization is a reasonable goal: It’s a fact that NAFTA was negotiated more than two decades ago. We need to modernize the terms of trade between our countries for the realities of the 21st century.

Ottawa, January 23, 2018 – The Canadian Chamber of Commerce welcomes news that an agreement has been reached in Tokyo to secure Canada's continued participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership agreement.

“At this point, we’re still waiting for the details of the agreement, including specifics regarding Canada’s automotive sector,” said Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber. “However, the fact that these eleven countries are committed to taking down trade barriers provides a powerful and positive message about the future of global trade.”

After 12 years leading the Oakville Chamber of Commerce, President John Sawyer is stepping down. John says “the timing is right for both myself and the Chamber.” He went on to say; “We have built a truly outstanding team, we are at record membership and we are in a strong financial position. I will certainly miss it but am looking forward to the next chapter in my life.” 

John has been recognized for his leadership by a number of organizations. In 2014 the Chamber Executives of Ontario awarded John the James Carnegie Memorial Award for his leadership and work as a mentor to his colleagues in the Chamber network.

Ottawa, January 17, 2018 – Following today’s announcement of a 0.25 per cent increase in the prime lending rate, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce urges the Bank of Canada to be cautious about future increases.

Ottawa, January 17, 2018 – The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has been at the forefront of the discussion on Canadian businesses’ social responsibility in Canada and abroad. We believe good conduct is not only ethical but is also a good business practice and an important part of the Canadian brand.

Every new year brings both challenges and opportunities for Canada’s business community, and as you will see in our Annual Report, that was especially true in 2017.

From the inauguration of President Trump and the renegotiation of NAFTA to the ratification of CETA, the international context was upended. Closer to home, Canadian businesses faced their own set of obstacles, whether in the form of extreme weather events or the cancellation of large-scale projects like the Energy East pipeline. Governments piled on more obstacles on businesses, and the federal government proposed tax changes for private corporations that threatened entrepreneurs.

Ottawa, January 12, 2018 – The Canadian Chamber of Commerce announced today the appointment of Jason MacDonald as Senior Vice President, Policy and Advocacy.

“Jason’s extensive strategy, policy and communications expertise developed over years working in the public and private sectors will be a tremendous asset for the Canadian Chamber, and I’m happy to welcome him to our executive team,” said the Hon. Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.