The Canadian Chamber is the most influential business association in Canada - the national leader of public policy advocacy on national and international business issues and is focused on fostering a strong, competitive economic environment that benefits Canada and improves the standard of living of all Canadians.
In the last 20 years, the weight of global economic activity has dramatically shifted from developed to developing countries. This year, developing countries’ share of global output is on the verge of surpassing 50 per cent (up from 38 per cent in 1990), and the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) predicts by 2030 it will reach 57 per cent.1 Much of this rapid transformation is due to political and economic reforms in developing countries, including trade and investment liberalization, that have served as catalysts for economic modernization and growth.
Dear Premiers:
As you gather for your annual Council of the Federation meeting in Winnipeg on August 4-6, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce asks that you include in your deliberations issues our members believe you have the power to significantly influence. These issues are the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT), Canada’s relationship with the United States, the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) negotiations, and reforms to the Canada Pension Plan.
Thank you for your letter of July 5, 2010 to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce regarding our position on Bill C-311, The Climate Change Accountability Act.
We are disappointed that the Sierra Club would misrepresent our position on this Bill, indicating that we believe “developing the fossil fuel industry is the best way to fight climate change” and that the “Canadian Chamber of Commerce does not welcome real action on reducing emissions”. This is not true. Since 2005, the Canadian Chamber has called for a sustainable energy strategy for Canada that will respect the environment, provide secure and affordable energy and support the standard of living of Canadian families. This includes meeting our energy demand through the sustainable development of all energy sources, including non-fossil renewable energy and fuels. If you would like to read our discussion paper in this regard, released last October, it is available here.
Growing our energy value chain will continue to be one of Canada’s best opportunities for a competitive advantage in the global economy. The oil sands provide a textbook case on how adding value to raw material has provided many thousands of jobs-and added royalties and tax revenues-for the benefit of all Canadians.
China is already a pivotal player on the international stage - economically, geopolitically and culturally - and its role continues to grow. And this growth comes at a time when, following the financial and economic crises of 2008-2009, the world’s economic centre of gravity moves rapidly from the Atlantic toward the Pacific, where China, India and other Asian dynamos are becoming the second pillar of global growth in trade, investment, production and consumption.
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