May 29, 2012 | Fairmont Château Laurier | Ottawa, ON

For our nation to prosper, Canadian businesses of all sizes and sectors need to boost their competitiveness and presence in global markets. At International Trade Day, distinguished government, business and opinion leaders gather to discuss how our country needs to pursue trade and investment opportunities in important markets such as the European Union, China and the Asia-Pacific region.

This year, please join the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, along with the Canadian Intellectual Property Council, to discuss the importance of protecting intellectual property rights (IPR) in international trade negotiations.

More than ever, Canadian governments have been working with their foreign counterparts to remove barriers to international trade and investment. Across the world, countries have started to realize the importance of protecting intellectual property rights. However, intellectual property is too often perceived as a barrier rather than as a competitive advantage we have to build on. Currently, Canada lags in terms of the protection of IPR, a trend that has resulted in negative economic impacts and poses a threat to the health and safety of Canadian consumers, as well as our competitiveness as a whole. Keeping with this, two panels will discuss the following topics:

• New vectors for counterfeit goods: the digital challenge for business
• The importance of intellectual property rights in trade agreements

Details

May 29, 2012 | 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Fairmont Château Laurier | Drawing Room
1 Rideau Street | Ottawa, ON

Agenda-at-a-glance

Tickets

Individual | $200 plus 13% HST
Table of 6 | $1,000 plus 13% HST

We encourage participants to register online with a credit card. Participants who choose to pay by cheque must complete a registration form and will be charged a $25 + 13% HST administration fee. To register with a cheque, please call Marley Ransom at 613.238.4000 (227).

Register now!

Contact

Marley Ransom | Event Planner | 613.238.4000 (227) | mransom@chamber.ca

Thank you to our sponsors!

Diamond 

 Platinum

As part of our network skills initiative, the Canadian Chamber is pleased to present a series of four webinars that will focus on the human resource challenges that chambers and their members face today.

Sessions that have already taken place will be archived in this space. To access click on the name of the past webinar. Please watch/share with your colleagues.

There is no cost for participation.

Seminar 3 - May 30: Connecting education and employment at 1:00 p.m. EDT

Tomorrow’s skilled workforce is being trained and educated today in universities and community colleges across the country. How closely will the graduates of the future match your demand as employers?

In this webinar, you will hear and learn:

• Valuable advice on how a chamber and its business community can really benefit from relations with post-secondary institutions;
• Why businesses should take advantage of co-op programs, apprenticeships and internships; and,
• How the business community can shape its future workforce coming out of community colleges, polytechnics and universities.

Whether you are looking for employee training, for an intern or apprentice, or for next year’s talent, this webinar is focus on the opportunities and best practices for connecting with educators in your community.

Click here to register now.

Seminar 4 - June 27: Aboriginal workforce development

Registration will be opened shortly.

Archived Seminars

Seminar 2 - April 25: How to Recruit, Hire and Integrate Skilled Immigrants

Finding workers with the right skills is a big challenge for small and medium-size businesses. Employers are finding it is increasingly hard to find Canadian-born skilled workers. The reality is that the immigrants are becoming the source of all new net growth in Canada’s labour force.

Once you realize you need to consider immigrants as potential employees, the question is how to find and recruit them.

In this webinar, you will learn where to turn when looking to hire foreign workers, and which organizations are available to assist employers find and retain employees from outside Canada. You will hear about the experiences of other Canadian businesses which have attracted and hired immigrants.

Seminar 1 - March 28: SME employee skills upgrading

Targeted at small- and medium-sized businesses, learn how essential skills in the workplace can make a difference and how to find the skills upgrading support needed.

This webinar features the following topics:

My employees don’t have the essential skills they need! So what? Now what?
Presenter: Janet Lane, Literacy Alberta

Practical solutions for your business
Presenter: Lindsey McIntosh, Office of Literacy and Essential Skills, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

Essential skills, productivity and competitiveness: the Canadian imperative
Presenter: T. Scott Murray, DataAngel Policy Research Inc.

Sept. 22-24 | Sheraton Hamilton | Hamilton, ON

A Canada that works

The Canadian Chamber’s AGM is the chamber network’s must-attend event of the year. It is where the network comes together to develop solutions that will break down the barriers that are holding Canadian businesses back. This year’s AGM will focus particularly on tackling Canada’s skills crisis, the barrier our chamber network told us was the number one impediment to the success of their members. Participants will have the opportunity to hear from business, government and academia on the best practices, programs and services that are available to help business find and keep skilled employees.

Preliminary Agenda
Registration
Travel & Accommodation
Policy Development Process & Voting Authorization

Registration

Registration opens June 1.

Delegate rate: $700 (plus 13% HST)
Spouse rate: $400 (plus 13% HST)
Gala ticket only: $150 (plus 13% HST)

Early Bird Special: From June 1 to July 1, save $120 off the cost of the delegate rate.

First-timers’ Special! Beginning June 1, if your chamber or board of trade has never sent a delegate to the Canadian Chamber’s AGM, you could save 50% off the delegate rate.

Stay an extra day to participate in our golf tournament, which takes place on Sept. 25 at Heron Point Golf Club. Click here for more info.

Travel & Accommodation

WestJet Group Rate
WestJet is offering a 25% discount on their best available fares on the date of your booking for travel to the Canadian Chamber’s AGM. To book, please call 1.888.493.7853 and quote convention code CC7259.

Airways Transit Discount
Airways Transit is offering up to a 37% discount on transportation to/from the airport. To book, please call 1.905.689.4460 and quote code CCC-AGM2012.

Hotel Room Rates
We have set aside a block of rooms at the Sheraton Hamilton. To take advantage of the conference rates, please reserve your room before 5 p.m. Eastern Time on August 27.

Sheraton Hamilton
116 King Street West

Traditional guestroom: $154/night (plus 13% HST)
Superior guestrooms: $154/night (plus 13% HST)
Traditional deluxe guestrooms: $164/night (plus 13% HST)
Superior deluxe guestrooms: $174/night (plus 13% HST)

To reserve your hotel room, please call 1.888.627.8161 and quote the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting, Main Block.

Policy Development Process & Voting Authorization

Member chambers are invited to submit policy resolutions for debate at the AGM. The deadline for submitting 2012 resolutions is May 31.

All proposed resolutions must be sent using the electronic resolution template; a template instruction booklet is also available.

Resolutions should be emailed to Claire Van Allen at cvanallen@chamber.ca by the resolution deadline 5 p.m. Eastern Time on May 31. Please ensure that you include contact information for the person in your organization responsible for each resolution. If you have any questions about the policy resolution process, please call Claire Van Allen at 613.238.4000 (248).

Here are all the documents you will need for submitting a 2012 resolution:

• A Guide to Preparing a Resolution
• Resolution Template
• Resolution Template Instructions 2012
• Policy Priorities for 2012

Voting Authorization
Member chambers may vote, in person or by proxy, on the proposed policy resolutions debated at the AGM. Please register your vote by completing the voting authorization form and returning it to Angela Roy by email to aroy@chamber.ca or by fax to 613.238.7643 by August 31.

For more information on the AGM, please contact
Marley Ransom | Event Planner | 613.238.4000 (227) | mransom@chamber.ca

Mark your calendars!

A memorable day of golf, prizes, entertainment and networking is planned. The day will also feature a breakfast and learn session—making this tournament an ideal way to mix business with pleasure!

More details will be posted shortly. Online registration opens June 1.

Reserve the date now and start planning your foursome!

Click here to view the Sponsorship Overview.

Contact
Stephen Johns | Director, Corporate Member and Association Relations
416.868.6415 (239) | sjohns@chamber.ca

Established in 1992, the award is presented each year to recognize a business executive from a Canadian company whose exemplary leadership has resulted in a strong, competitive Canadian presence in global markets. Recipients of this award have distinguished themselves through visionary corporate leadership and the aggressive pursuit of international business opportunities. In 2012, join us in honouring:

Donald A. Guloien, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Financial Corporation

A dinner honouring Mr. Guolien will take place on Nov. 15 in Toronto. More information will be made available shortly.

Contact
Marley Ransom | Event Planner | 613.238.4000 (227) | mransom@chamber.ca