Chamber View

Government accountability

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Roy) — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 17:46:00 +0000

Federal Accountability Act
Bill C-2, First Reading – April 11, 2006

Reforming the financing of political parties
Complete ban on contributions by corporations, unions and organizations.
Lower the limit on contributions from individuals to political parties from $5,000 to $1,000.
Lower the limit on contributions from individuals to local entities of political parties from $5,000 to $1,000.
Lower to $1,000 the contribution that a candidate, nomination contestant or party leadership candidate can make to their own campaign.
Make it an offense to give or willfully receive a cash donation of more than $20.

What this means to Chamber members:
· Limits what companies/associations can donate to political parties/candidates even further (already very limited).

Banning secret donations to political parties
Prohibit candidates from accepting gifts that might reasonably be seen to risk influencing them in the performance of their elected duties.
Require candidates to report any gifts they receive worth more than $500.
Prohibit Members of Parliament from using trust funds for political purposes.
Empower the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to order MPs to wind up trust funds or handle them in any other manner that the Commissioner considers acceptable.

What this means to Chamber members:
· Members will need to be careful when giving honorariums/gifts to MPs that they deal with and consider the optics of particular gifts.

Strengthening the role of the Ethics Commissioner
Combine the functions of the Ethics Commissioner and the Senate Ethics Officer and create a new position, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.
Enshrine the provisions of the current Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders into a new Conflict of Interest Act.
Give the new Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, an individual who must have a judicial or quasi-judicial background, the power to administer the proposed Conflict of Interest Act, initiate formal investigations, and levy monetary penalties for administrative breaches under this Act.
Prohibit the use of blind management agreements (“Venetian blind trusts”), meaning that public-office holders will either have to sell assets in an arm’s-length transaction or place them in a fully blind trust

What this means to Chamber members:
· May make the rules more transparent for those that deal with the investments of public office holders.

Toughening the Lobbyists Registration Act
Establish a new Commissioner of Lobbying as an independent Agent of Parliament.
Provide the Commissioner with enhanced investigative powers and mandate to enforce compliance with the proposed Lobbying Act.
Prohibit ministers, ministerial staffers, and senior public servants from registering and lobbying the Government of Canada for five years after leaving office.
Ban any payment or benefit contingent on the outcome of a consultant lobbyist’s activity, and require all government contracts and agreements to state that contingency fees will not be paid.
Require lobbyists to report their lobbying activities involving certain public office holders more frequently and permit the Commissioner to request those office holders to confirm or correct the information reported by lobbyists.
Double the criminal monetary penalties for lobbyists who fail to comply with the requirements of the Lobbying Act.

What this means to Chamber members:
· Potential impact on private sector individuals accepting certain public office positions given post-employment restrictions.
· Significant new requirements for tracking and reporting contacts with government.

Establishing a Parliamentary Budget Authority
Expand the mandate and resources of the non-partisan Library of Parliament by establishing within it the position of Parliamentary Budget Officer.
Give this officer the mandate to:
Provide objective analysis to the Senate and House of Commons concerning the state of the nation’s finances and trends in the national economy.
Undertake economic and fiscal research for the Standing Committee on Finance, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, or the Senate Standing Committee on National Finance, on the request of those committees.
Estimate the cost of proposals currently or prospectively under consideration in either House when asked to do so by a Member, a committee of the Senate or the House of Commons, or a committee of both Houses.
Require departments and agencies to provide the Officer with any existing data necessary to fulfill his or her mandate.
The government will provide quarterly updates to government fiscal forecasts, and will continue to provide monthly financial statements in the Fiscal Monitor.

What this means to Chamber members:
· Parliamentarians may have better fiscal information to determine the costs/benefits of proposed legislation.

Making qualified government appointments
Institute a uniform approach to appointing Officers and Agents of Parliament, and ensure a meaningful role for Parliament in the process.
Create a Public Appointments Commission in the Prime Minister’s portfolio to oversee, monitor and report on the selection process for appointments to government boards, commissions, agencies and Crown corporations.
Allow the Chief Electoral Officer to appoint returning officers, with provisions that ensure the merit principle is applied.
Remove the entitlements of all ministers’ staff to priority appointments and instead allow them to apply for internal competitions for public-service positions for up to one year.

What this means to Chamber members:
N/A

Cleaning up the procurement of government contracts
Include an overarching statement of principles on procurement that commits the government to promoting fairness, openness and transparency in the bidding process.
Require that contracts include integrity provisions.
Create the position of a Procurement Auditor to:
Review procurement practices across government.
Handle complaints from potential suppliers.
Review complaints regarding contract administration.
Manage an alternative dispute resolution process for contracts.
Submit an annual report to be tabled in Parliament.
Engage an independent procurement expert to review the draft policy on managing procurement to ensure that its requirements reinforce a fair, open and transparent procurement process.
Introduce a Code of Conduct for Procurement to consolidate the existing suite of conflict-of-interest and anti-corruption policies, which would apply to both suppliers and public service employees.
Provide more resources and greater regional presence to the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises within Public Works and Government Services Canada, to help businesses maintain access to government opportunities and ensure that they are treated fairly.

What this means to Chamber members:
· Possible easier access to procurement contracts, especially for small businesses.
· May make applying for procurement contracts more complicated.
· Possible higher compliance burden.

Cleaning up government polling and advertising
For public opinion research and advertising:
Prohibit verbal-only reports
Require departments and agencies to send a final written report on research findings obtained under contract to Library and Archives Canada within six months of completing data collection.
Will amend communications policy and related procedures by June 2006 to reflect the new statutory requirement for written reports, to include a requirement that contracting be open, fair and transparent, and to add a new definition of advertising to distinguish it from collateral services such as public relations or events management.
Appoint an independent advisor for a period of six months to conduct a full review of public opinion research practices discussed in Chapter 5 of the Auditor General’s November 2003 report and determine whether further action, such as a judicial inquiry, is required.
Require departments and agencies to post contract information on public opinion research and executive summaries of completed projects on the Internet for ease of public access.

What this means to Chamber members:
· Need to consider if this affects operations of projects operated jointly between the government and the private sector.

Providing protection for whistleblowers
Make the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner an Agent of Parliament with an expanded mandate.
Give public-sector employees direct access to the Commissioner to report wrongdoing in the workplace.
Give the Commissioner the authority to deal with complaints, conduct investigations, and attempt to conciliate a settlement between parties.
Create an independent Public Servants Disclosure Protection Tribunal, with the power to decide whether reprisal occurred and to order action to remedy the situation and ensure that those who took reprisal are disciplined.
Introduce specific penalties for offenses under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, including tougher penalties for those who willfully impede investigations of wrongdoing.
Give the Commissioner the power to authorize free access to legal advice for both public-sector and non-public-sector employees.
Remove the ability of the Government to exclude Crown Corporations from coverage under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act.
Provide more open access to information about disclosures of wrongdoing.
Recognize and reward public-sector employees who expose wrongdoing by instituting a special recognition award of up to $1,000.

What this means to Chamber members:
N/A

Strengthening access to information legislation
Expand the coverage of the Access to Information Act to the following Agents of Parliament, Crown Corporations, and foundations created under federal statute:
Office of the Information Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Office of the Auditor General, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying
Canada Post, Via Rail, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Atomic Energy of Canada, Export Development Canada, National Arts Centre, Public Service Pension Investment Board
Canada Foundation for Innovation, Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology, Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation
Provide a duty for institutions to assist requesters without regard for their identity, and clarify the time limit for making a complaint under the ATIA.
Separate draft bill that reflects the Information Commissioner’s recommendations, along with a discussion paper to highlight a variety of issues and options for discussion

What this means to Chamber members:
· As ATIA is applied to Commissioner of Lobbying, then more information about member lobbying efforts could be available.

Strengthening the power of the Auditor General
Give the AG the authority to “follow the money” by inquiring into the use of funds that individuals, institutions and companies receive under a funding agreement with any federal department, agency or Crown corporation.
Require the Government to include the provisions in all funding agreements that recipients keep records and cooperate with the AG on request.
Require every department to review, at least once every five years, the relevance and effectiveness of its grants and contributions programs.
Ensure that the Office of the Auditor General has adequate resources to fulfill its mandate
Government will establish an independent blue-ribbon panel to review the draft policy on transfer payments, identify barriers to accessing grants and contributions programs and consider eliminating legislative barriers and report to the President of the Treasury Board by December 2006.

What this means to Chamber members:
· The AG may investigate the use of funds that members receive from the federal government.

Strengthening auditing and accountability within departments
Designate ministers and deputy heads as accounting officers who are accountable before the appropriate committee of Parliament to answer questions related to their responsibilities
Require that a clear process be followed in the event that a minister and deputy minister are unable to agree on the interpretation or application of a Treasury Board policy, directive or standard.
Require that deputy heads ensure an appropriate internal audit capacity and establish departmental audit committees.
Ensure that audit committees in Crown corporations are independent of corporation management.
Make fraud involving public funds committed by officials an offence, carrying a maximum term of five years in prison for fraud of $5,000 or less, a maximum term of 14 years in prison for fraud over $5,000 and automatic dismissal for any official convicted of this offense.
The Government will implement the new Treasury Board Internal Audit Policy and develop a compliance framework that includes training and tools for employees, disciplinary codes to provide clarity on misconduct and related consequences, and consistent application of disciplinary measures.

What this means to Chamber members:
· N/A

Creating a Director of Public Prosecutions
· Create the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to reside outside the Department of Justice (the Director will be selected in a manner similar to that used to make the most recent appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada).
· Give the Director of Public Prosecutions jurisdiction to conduct prosecutions for offences under federal jurisdiction, including new fraud provisions proposed under amendments to the Financial Administration Act.
· Give the Director the power to make binding and final decisions on whether to prosecute, unless the Attorney General instructs the Director to do otherwise by means of public written notice
· Require that the Director submit an annual report to the Attorney General for tabling in Parliament

Summary provided by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Online budget consultation process

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Roy) — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 17:37:00 +0000

Minister of Finance James M. Flaherty has launched an online consultation process on the Finance Canada Web site to give Canadians an opportunity to provide their views to the federal government during the pre-budget consultation period. The deadline to do so is April 19, 2006. Further information of the consultation process is available at: http://www.fin.gc.ca/activty/consult/prebud_e.html.

As part of this process, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce is encouraging its members from coast to coast to take part in the budget process and to deliver to the new government our key messages on behalf of the business community. We also encourage our local chambers and boards of trade to actively engage their membership base to help shape Canada’s public policies in a thoughtful and constructive manner.

It is important that the new government, in its upcoming budget, sends a positive signal to investors and to those who want to work and live in Canada that Canada is a great place to work and to invest.

With this in mind, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce has put together the following letter that could be used by members to communicate to Finance Canada our priorities for budget 2006 and beyond.

To respond to Finance Canada, you can use one of the following options: regular mail to the address indicated on the letter; fax: 613-992-0938; or e-mail: budget2006consult@fin.gc.ca

GMCC-Selling for Success - February 9th / 9 février

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Roy) — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 18:16:00 +0000

Discovering Your “INSIDE EDGE”

SELLING FOR SUCCESS! introduces fresh ideas on the skills, habits and attitudes required to become an outstanding sales professional.

Discover the 7 Critical Factors that lead to increased confidence as well as higher closing ratios and bigger orders. Your investment is only$30 + HST or 30 GMCC “Training Bucks”.

Be sure to cash in your GMCC “Training Bucks” and join us Thursday, February 9th for SELLING FOR SUCCESS!

Don't forget to redeem your Training Buck$!

We still have spaces left for the "Selling for Success" session that will be held on Thursday, February 9, 2006.

We encourage you to support the Moncton Public Library with a donation at the door (minimum of $5). All proceeds will be used to enhance the MPL collection.

P.S...Don't forget to B.Y.O.L. (Bring Your Own Lunch)

N'oubliez pas d'encaisser vos Dollar$ de formation!

Nous avons encore des places de disponibles pour la session "Selling for Success" qui aura lieu le jeudi 9 février 2006.

Nous vous encourageons à appuyer la Bibliothèque Publique de Moncton et faire un don (minimum de 5$ s.v.p.). Ces dons seront utilisés afin d'accroître leur collection de livre.

P.S... Noubliez pas d'emporter votre dîner.

Foire Intercités 2006-Saint John-Le mercredi 5 avril 2006

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Roy) — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 17:52:00 +0000

RÉSEAUTAGE FOIRE INTERCITÉS!

Le mercredi 5 avril 2006
16h à 19h
Saint John Trade & Convention Centre

Réservez maintenant!

La Foire Intercités est un événement annuel commandité par le Saint John Board of
Trade, Fredericton Chamber of Commerce et la Chambre de commerce du Grand
Moncton.

Cette année, le Saint John Board of Trade organise l’événement qui attire
des centaines de visiteurs et d’invités.

Cet événement de réseautage offre plus de 100 kiosques des membres des
Chambres/Bureau de commerce. En plus d’avoir la chance de remporter de beaux
prix de présences, vous avez l’opportunité de faire de nouveaux contacts d’affaires.

Le coût d’un kiosque est de 180$ + TVH (207$). Ce prix comprend la monture, les
draperies, une table et deux chaises, ainsi que l’électricité. N’attendez pas, contactez
le Saint John Board of Trade maintenant au (506) 634-8111, ou par télécopieur au
(506) 632-2008 afin de réserver votre place. Les places sont limitées.

Les kiosques seront attribués selon le principe du premier arrivé premier servi. Le paiement doit être reçu au plus tard le 24 mars 2006.

RÉSEAUTAGE FOIRE INTERCITÉS!
Réservez maintenant!

INSCRIPTION
Le mercredi 5 avril 2006
16h à 19h
Saint John Trade & Convention Centre
Les participants désirant avoir une prise de téléphone sont responsables de faire les démarches nécessaires et sont
responsables des coûts. Les kiosques seront attribués selon le principe du premier arrivé premier servi.

Télécopieur: (506) 632-2008 / Courriel: ccunningham@sjboardoftrade.com

Possibilité de commandite aussi offerte !!!

The Tri-City Mixer-Saint John City-Wednesday, April 5, 2006

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Roy) — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 17:41:00 +0000

Book Your Booth Now!

Wednesday, April 5, 2006
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Saint John Trade & Convention Centre

The Tri-City Mixer is an annual event co-sponsored by the Saint John Board of Trade,
the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Moncton Chamber of
Commerce.

This year, Saint John will be hosting the event which is expected to attract
hundreds of visitors and guests.

This Great Networking event offers over 100 booths from members of the Tri-City
Chamber/Board of Trades. Plus the chance to win great door prizes and great
opportunities to make new business contacts.

The cost for displaying is $180.00 + HST ($207.00) . This includes your pipe and
draping, table and 2 chairs, as well as power. Don’t wait, contact the Saint John Board
of Trade now at (506) 634-8111, or fax to (506) 632-2008 to reserve your space.
Display space is limited. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come basis.
Registration fee must be received no later than March 24, 2006.

NETWORKING TRADE SHOW
Book Your Booth Now!

REGISTRATION INFORMATION is an annual event co-sponsored by the Saint John Board of Trade,

the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Moncton Chamber of
Commerce. This year, Saint John will be hosting the event which is expected to attract
hundreds of visitors and guests.

This Great Networking event offers over 100 booths from members of the Tri-City
Chamber/Board of Trades. Plus the chance to win great door prizes and great
opportunities to make new business contacts.

The cost for displaying is $180.00 + HST ($207.00) . This includes your pipe and
draping, table and 2 chairs, as well as power. Don’t wait, contact the Saint John Board
of Trade now at (506) 634-8111, or fax to (506) 632-2008 to reserve your space.
Display space is limited. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come basis.
Registration fee must be received no later than March 24, 2006.

NETWORKING TRADE SHOW
Book Your Booth Now!
Click on REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce Training and Events to February 23, 2006

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Roy) — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 15:59:00 +0000

Paul O'Driscoll, Chair of the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce, presents the Prix Muriel Fergusson Award to Lilia Fraser, Secretary- Treasurer of the Pumphouse Brewery in Moncton. The Pumphouse Brewery was recently named Canadian Brewery of the Year. For more information go to Pumphouse Brewery

The Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce - for all your training and networking needs!

We are promoting the Chamber in New Brunswick

le temps d'appliquer pour les bourses d'études 2006 de la CCGM.

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Roy) — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 14:33:00 +0000

C'est le temps d'appliquer pour les bourses d'études 2006 de la CCGM.

Trois bourses seront décernées lors de l'assemblée générale annuelle de la CCGM en avril 2006: une bourse de 2000 $ et deux bourses de 500 $.

Votre demande doit être reçue ou être timbrée le/avant le 24 mars 2006.

Voir document ci-joint pour plus de détails.

Bourse d’études Fiche d’inscription (2006)

Veuillez cliqueter le titre de ce Blog pour télécharger la pleine forme dans le format de pdf, ou cliquetez ici

MODALITÉS : Pour être admissible, vous devez détenir un diplôme d’études secondaires ou l’équivalent et être actuellement inscrit ou avoir l’intention de vous inscrire à un programme d’études dans un établissement postsecondaire, notamment une université, un collège communautaire ou un établissement privé reconnu par le Programme canadien de prêts aux étudiants. Une personne handicapée qui complète un programme à temps partiel est admissible. Vous devez avoir moins de 25 ans quand vous commencez le programme pour être admissible à cette bourse d’études.

De plus, vous devez travailler à temps plein ou à temps partiel pour un membre en règle de la Chambre de commerce du Grand Moncton ou être un enfant ou l’époux(se) d’un membre ou de l’un(e) de ses employé(e)s. Seuls les membres de la Chambre qui habitent dans la région (c’est-à-dire les comtés de Westmorland, de Kent et d’Albert) sont admissibles. Veuillez prendre note: les gagnants des années précédentes ne sont pas éligibles.

Apply for the 2006 GMCC Scholarship-Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Roy) — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 14:29:00 +0000

It's time to apply for the 2006 GMCC Scholarship.

Three scholarships will be awarded at the GMCC Annual General Meeting, in April 2006: one in the amount of $2,000 and two in the amount of $500.

Your application must be received by or post-marked before March 24, 2006.

Scholarship Application Form (2006)

Please click the title of this Blog to download the Full Form in PDF format, Or Click Here

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: To qualify, you must have a minimum grade 12 or equivalent and be enrolled in or will undertake a full time, post-secondary degree or program at a post-secondary institution, such as a university, community college or private institution duly recognized under the Canada Student Loan Program. An individual with a disability completing a degree part time may apply.

In order to qualify for the scholarship you must be under 25 years of age at the time you commence the program. In addition, you must be a full or part-time employee of a member in good standing with the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce (“GMCC”) or you are the child or spouse of the member or their employee. Eligibility is limited to Chamber members residing within the region (Westmorland, Kent or Albert counties). Please note: Previous winners are not eligible.

RÉSEAUTAGE EN FACE À FACE-Moncton-Dieppe-Riverview

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Roy) — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 14:21:00 +0000

À LA DEMANDE GÉNÉRALE
Le comité de réseautage et
la Chambre de commerce du Grand Moncton
sont heureux de présenter:

RÉSEAUTAGE EN FACE À FACE
Le mardi 7 février 2006

Ramada Plaza Hotel Palais Crystal Palace
Salle République
9h à 13h
Membres – 40,25$ (TVH comprise)
Futurs membres – 46$ (TVH comprise)
Un léger dîner sera servi

Qui?
Propriétaire, cadres intermédiaires, employés de petites et moyennes
entreprises

Pourquoi?
Occasion de:
- Établir des contacts utiles au sein de la communauté d’affaires
- Promouvoir votre entreprise, ses produits et services
- Vous informer des produits et services offerts dans la communauté

Comment?
Ateliers professionnels
Discussions interactives sous forme de table ronde
Échange informel de profil d’affaires en petits groupes

Veuillez noter:
Seul les 50 premiers participants inscrits seront acceptés
Vous devez retourner votre fiche d’inscription au plus tard
le 1 février 2006

Un seul représentant par entreprise

RÉSEAUTAGE EN FACE À FACE

Retourner l’inscription à:

Natacha Pettigrew
Chambre de commerce du Grand Moncton
910 rue Main, Suite 100
Moncton, NB E1C 1G6
Télécopieur: (506) 857-9209
Courriel: natacha@gmcc.nb.ca

Veuillez cliqueter le titre de ce Blog pour télécharger la pleine forme dans le format de pdf, ou cliquetez ici

TABLE TOP NETWORKING-Moncton-Dieppe-Riverview

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Roy) — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 14:17:00 +0000

BACK BY POPULAR REQUEST

The Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce
& the Networking Committee
are pleased to present

TABLE TOP NETWORKING
Tuesday, February 7, 2006
Ramada Plaza Hotel Palais Crystal Palace
Republic Room
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Members – $40.25 (HST included)
Future members – $46 (HST included)
Light lunch will be provided

Who?
Owners, middle managers, employees of any small or medium size business

Why?
Opportunity to:
- establish valuable contacts within our Business Community
- promote your business, its products and services
- inform yourself of products and services available to you
in our region

How?
Professionally facilitated workshops
Interactive round-table discussion
Casual table-top exchange of your business profile in small group
settings

Important Note:
Registration limited to the first 50 participants
Registration must be received on or before February 1, 2006.

Only one representative per company

Return registration to:
Natacha Pettigrew
Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce
910 Main Street, Suite 100
Moncton, NB E1C 1G6
Fax: (506) 857-9209
E-mail: natacha@gmcc.nb.ca

Please click the title of this Blog to download the Full Form in PDF format, Or Click Here

Hurricane Katrina Business Response

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Roy) — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 20:41:00 +0000

Greater Moncton Businesses and the Hurricane Relief Fund

The Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce has found interest among members and the business community in addressing in some way the relief effort in the Gulf States of the US, as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

Here is material that may be of interest to members of the business community of Greater Moncton.

Letter to the Editor:

Responding to the tremendous desire of the business community across the United States to help with the hurricane disaster relief effort, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), with the assistance of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, has established the Small Business Disaster Relief Fund.

In a span of only 24 hours, Louisiana lost almost a third of its economy. The vast majority of businesses that have been shut down or greatly impaired are small businesses, the backbone of the area's economy. Until these small business owners get back on their feet, the Gulf Coast's economy cannot substantially recover.

The Small Business Disaster Relief Fund will provide grants to help small businesses damaged by Hurricane Katrina get back into business as soon as possible. The grants will serve as "gap funding" to cover expenses not covered by insurance in order to bring as many enterprises as possible back on line quickly.

A contribution to the Small Business Disaster Relief Fund can be made by cheque and mailed to:
Small Business Disaster Relief Fund/BRAF
420 N. 4th Street
Baton Rouge, LA
70802

Contributions can also be made through LABI's Web site (www.labi.org).

The contributions, dollar for dollar, will go directly to small businesses that need these funds to recover.

The Greater Moncton region has much in common with Louisiana and given our close association with this state (Moncton is twinned with Lafayette and Dieppe with Carencro), the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce encourages our business community to support their 'brothers and sisters in business' in their time of need.

Note: This fund is legitimate and fully supported by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
Valerie Roy, Chief Executive Officer

Towards A Sustainable Forest Industry

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Roy) — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 17:34:00 +0000

The forestry industry in New Brunswick is a major economic engine for our province.

It is imperative that a long-term management strategy be prepared and implemented to ensure the continued economic viability of this industry.

Numerous studies have been undertaken in recent years to better understand the impact, challenges, and potential of the forest products industry in New Brunswick. Many of these reports have affirmed that the forests of New Brunswick are among the best managed in the world.

When the Government of New Brunswick initiated the Jaakko Poyry Report in February 2002, Natural Resources and Energy Minister Jeannot Volpé made reference to the Province’s prosperity plan, Greater Opportunity: New Brunswick's Prosperity Plan.

He noted that the intent of the study was to make New Brunswick more competitive in the global economy through innovation, productivity and export orientation. The Jaakko Poyry Report provides a template to achieve these goals.

Another report, by APEC, has highlighted the significant contribution that the forest products industry makes to the economy of the Province of New Brunswick.

2003 APEC NB Forest Industry Study.

In addition, the recent Select Committee on Wood Supply has endorsed tree growth that is science based, ecologically appropriate, and demanding greater accountability of industry.

These reports confront the considerable challenges facing the forestry industry. It is clear that the forestry industry is a major economic engine in New Brunswick, employing an estimated 23,000 people and generating annual wages and salaries of approximately $925 million.

It is crucial that the forestry industry in New Brunswick remains economically viable.

The Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce, the Saint John Board of Trade and the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce are encouraging the Government of New Brunswick to develop a comprehensive forest management blueprint.

This strategy will ensure that the forestry industry in New Brunswick will continue to grow and prosper, and continue to be a leader in the global marketplace.

Collectively, the Chairs and General Managers of the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce, the Saint John Board of Trade and the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce will meet with the Minister of Natural Resources, Keith Ashfield on December 20th, to discuss our common concerns regarding the forestry industry in New Brunswick and to review commitments made in the recent N.B. throne speech.

Chamber View launches business coverage of Greater Moncton

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Roy) — Mon, 08 Nov 2004 19:46:00 +0000

Hi! My name is Valerie Roy and I'm the CEO (sometimes known as the SHE-E-O) of the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce. Active in this role since May 2000, my background is finance, administration and economic development.

In September of this year, our Chamber was very proud to be one of the first in Canada to be awarded Accreditation with Distinction from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. This award recognises our commitment to service excellence, not only to our members but to our community as a whole.

In this and other blogs, I will share with you the issues and concerns of our Chamber and its members, hot buttons in the community (why they are hot and what we are doing about them), as well as celebrate the achievements of our outstanding entrepreneurs.

There is a lot to celebrate - within our community and within our Chamber. We may be over 113 years old, but you should see us today! With over 800 members and some 150 volunteers, we have tremendous energy and drive. And in 2005, look for more gutz and glitz than ever before!