Yesterday, a majority of 153 MPs voted to defeat Bill C-386 An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (replacement workers). This means that bills addressing this issue will be ruled as inadmissible during this Parliament. This is good news for Canada’s federally-regulated critical infrastructure providers, including railways, airlines, airports, telecommunications providers, trucking companies, ports and banks. It is also good news for those businesses depending upon them to keep their operations running and Canadians who use electronic banking, automated teller and retail debit card services; rely upon communications in hospitals and police services, airlines, passenger rail; and live in communities with limited or no road access.

As the biggest and most important businesses constituency in the country, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and its network across the country issued a resounding call to action in the wake of proposed changes to the Employment Insurance (EI) program, and plans to increase EI premiums by the maximum allowed under federal legislation. Our voice was heard loudly.

On June 21, 2010, Bill C-2 (An Act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the Republic of Colombia, the Agreement on the Environment between Canada and the Republic of Colombia and the Agreement on Labour Cooperation between Canada and the Republic of Colombia) passed Third Reading in the Senate and was given Royal Assent. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has been instrumental in calling upon government to conclude FTAs that further open doors to markets and new opportunities for Canadian business.

Private members Bill C-310: An Act to Provide Certain Rights to Air Passengers was first introduced by James Maloway (NDP-Manitoba) in 2009. The bill’s enactment would have placed obligations on air carriers to provide compensation and other assistance to passengers in certain cases involving flight cancelations or delays.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has been an active voice opposing the adoption of bill C-310 and is pleased that the bill has been defeated.

Bill S-4: An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (identity theft and related misconduct) was introduced in June 2009.

At the 2008 Canadian Chamber Annual General Meeting, chambers from across the country passed a resolution entitled “Preventing and Effectively Punishing Identity Theft” which was put forward by the Surrey Board of Trade. In January 2010, bill S-4 came into force.

We are pleased that the government responded to this policy resolution to deal with the crime of identity theft and that this legislation is now in place.