The agreement announced on February 5 between Canada and the United States on ‘Buy American’ provisions represents an important step forward, putting Canadian companies in a better position to benefit from remaining U.S. infrastructure stimulus funding and establishes a mechanism for negotiating further access to U.S. markets. This means we are now in a stronger position compared with our main competitors.
The Canadian Chamber has been doing a great deal of work around Buy American, and while we will continue to push for greater engagement and to counter protectionism with our largest trading partner, we commend both the Canadian and U.S. governments on this productive agreement. In the many media interviews the Canadian Chamber has done over the last 24 hours, our message is that limiting the damage done by the Buy American provisions is a positive step forward.
Another important outcome of this process was the speedy and comprehensive work done by the federal and provincial/territorial governments to get this offer to the U.S. This sets an important precedent for greater co-operation during current and future free trade negotiations. This is a major step forward domestically and will bode well going forward.
- Perrin
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Operating on three distinct levels: local, regional/provincial/territorial and national, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and its network of chambers across the country, has tremendous impact when it speaks to key influencers and decision-makers on business issues that affect its members.
Although operating in various communities and offering a variety of services and programs to members, our chamber and board of trade members benefit from the collective wisdom of their peers - connecting ideas across towns, sharing best practices through chambers, connecting businesses to advocacy work and policy wins. One way our chamber members connect is through our monthly newsletter: Connections.
Past issues are located here. This valuable tool is sent to our member chambers of commerce and boards of trade. If you’re not a member, click here for more information on membership.
On January 29, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the appointment of five new Conservative senators. With these appointments, 50 of 105 senators are Conservative, 49 are Liberal, two are Progressive Conservative and two are independent. The new senators are Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu (QC), Bob Runciman (ON), Vim Kochhar (ON), Elizabeth (Beth) Marshall (NL), and Rose-May Poirier (NB). Their biographies are available here.
These Senate appointments follow a January 19 Cabinet shuffle, which resulted in changes to the following portfolios:
Treasury Board: Hon. Stockwell Day
Public Works: Hon. Rona Ambrose
International Trade: Hon. Peter Van Loan
Public Safety: Hon. Vic Toews
Labour: Hon. Lisa Raitt
Natural Resources: Hon. Christian Paradis
Veterans Affairs: Hon. Jean-Pierre Blackburn
National Revenue: Hon. Keith Ashfield
Minister of State-Seniors: Hon. Diane Ablonczy
Minister of State-Small Business and Tourism: Hon. Rob Moore
The complete list of federal Cabinet ministers is available here.
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