May 12, 2008
Dear valued Chamber member,
Because of your continued support as a member, and active volunteer involvement in our committees, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce continues to expand its work and influence on advocacy initiatives that improve the business environment in our great city and province. We put forward achievable and timely solutions on issues tied to the labour shortage, consistently and strongly encourage greater tax competitiveness, and communicate strategically with government at all levels to ensure that the Alberta Advantage includes a world-class quality of life.
The Chamber leads our vibrant business community in these areas through a proactive visionary approach. Again in this quarter, we advocated for a 35 per cent savings target for non-renewable resource revenues in response to the 2008 provincial budget, and the creation of a new $5 billion energy endowment to overcome our environmental challenges and develop new technologies. As you've told us, these initiatives are vital to our future prosperity, and that of our children and grandchildren.
Reporting back to you on the priorities that you identify and update for us through participation in surveys, committees and interviews - is an equally important part of our work, and the foundation on which we operate. Outlined below, therefore, are the highlights of the Chamber's First Quarter 2008 in detail. If you wish, you can also click here to go straight to the results summary.
MAJOR INITIATIVES
A news conference that officially released members' 2008 priorities
An active voice for Calgary business during the provincial election
OP-EDS
In case you missed our op-eds published in the past few months, here is the collection that reflects your 2008 priorities.
2008 Member Priority: Labour shortages
2008 Member Priority: Transportation infrastructure
2008 Member Priority: Economic health and diversification
2008 Member Priority: Environment
ALBERTA CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE RESOLUTIONS
The Calgary Chamber of Commerce has become a leader in developing positions that all Chambers in Alberta have adopted as policy resolutions. Through the invaluable effort of our committee volunteers, this year we will take forward 13 positions at the Alberta Chamber of Commerce AGM (May 22 - 24). This is a significant increase, both in number and quality of work over 2007, evidenced by the fact that most of Calgary's resolutions this year have attracted other Chambers as co-sponsors.
Labour Shortages
Improving Canada and Alberta Immigration Processes
This innovative resolution presents several suggestions for accelerating the process of immigration from the time an employer identifies a candidate in a foreign country to the time that employee starts working in Canada.
Recommendations include increasing staffing/ resource levels at Canadian Consulates to improve visa/ work permit processing times and working with the Alberta and federal governments to increase the number of candidates they are able to consider in the Provincial Nominee Program.
Fully Utilizing the Skills and Talents of Immigrants in Alberta
This resolution updates a 2006 resolution with additions informed by recent government program changes and updated statistics.
Recommendations include working with credentialing bodies to obtain faster recognition of qualified workers and expanding English language training programs.
Older Workers: Amending Federal Government Retirement Programs to Tap Into an Underutilized Pool of Labour Supply
This resolution updates and renews the expiring 2005 immigration resolution, and is based on by the Chamber's 2007 submission to the Federal Expert Panel on Older Workers.
Aboriginal Labour Force Strategy
A brand new initiative, this resolution concentrates on the importance of better engaging the Aboriginal population as one of the largest underutilized labour populations in the country, and a critical element for alleviating labour shortages in Alberta.
Transportation Infrastructure
Securing Transportation and Utility Corridors
Keeping with current trends in population and migration, this resolution encourages the government to purchase land for a transportation and utility corridor from Calgary to Edmonton. In securing land for a corridor, the province would also acquire the right of way should a high speed rail link between the two cities become a feasible option in the future.
Tax Competitiveness
Improving Personal Income Tax Competitiveness
A new resolution adopted at a provincial level, it is based upon the Chamber's Provincial Pre-Budget Submission and its detailed recommendations on personal income tax reform.
A Responsive, Accountable and Sustainable Municipal Finance System
This is a new resolution based on the Chamber's letter to the Minister's Council on Municipal Sustainability, the Renaissance Calgary municipal election strategy and policy discussions with Minister Danyluk. It recommends a sustainable, accountable and responsive municipal financing framework, and a provincial auditor general for municipalities.
Natural Resources and Environment
Competitive Energy Policy
Updating the 2005 Competitive Energy Policy resolution, it provides recommendations on making the regulatory process less cumbersome, by enabling co-jurisdictional panels to speed up approvals, and elimination of duplicative reviews.
Solid Carbon Fuels
Building on the 2005 Clean Coal resolution, recommendations include continued investment in the research and development of clean coal technology, and continued encouragement of clean coal based projects.
Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollutants
This resolution updates the 2005 Climate Change resolution and is based on a 2007 Canadian Chamber resolution that we supported.
Recommendations support the harmonization of regulation across Canada, that any carbon costs be revenue neutral, and that financial and/or tax incentives be used to encourage greenhouse gas reductions through technological advancement.
Health Care Reform
Renewal of Alberta's Health Care System
Updating the 2007 Reform of Alberta's Health Care System resolution, the Chamber's numerous policies have been grouped under priority issue themes, and given a sharper focus through more targeted recommendations.
Building Healthy Workplaces
Based on the Healthy Workplaces section of the 2007 Reform of Alberta's Health Care System Resolution, this new 'stand-alone' resolution includes suggestions to allocate money to health promotion as a priority to lowering the burden on the acute healthcare system.
Human Resources
Reconciling Legislative Ambiguities with Respect to Employer Alcohol and Drug Policies
This is a new resolution that comments on the tensions between Occupational Health and Safety legislation and human rights, and recommends appropriate methods for moving forward, in response to the recent Chiasson decision from the Court of Appeal of Alberta. That decision states that policies that aim for the safety of workers are acceptable under human rights legislation, and are non-discriminatory against drug-addicted persons. This idea is supported by the Chamber, and best summarized in paragraph 36 of the Court's decision: "Extending human rights protections to situations resulting in placing the lives of others at risk flies in the face of logic."
| Solving Calgary's labour shortage | |
| Encouraging fiscal responsibility | Federal Budget - A prudent plan in the face of economic uncertainty |
| Reducing interprovincial trade barriers | Enacting legislation for the Trade, Investment, Labour, and Mobility Agreement (TILMA) between B.C. and Alberta was introduced as Bill 1 this session |
| Efficient regulatory process | The Alberta Utilities Commission Act recently passed and aims to maximize efficiency for the approval of energy policy and eliminate duplicative reviews, as advocated by the Chamber |
| Affordable housing | The provincial government will amend legislation to allow municipalities and not-for-profit groups to use surplus provincial land (i.e. school sites) for affordable housing projects |
INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK
In closing, let me say once again that your membership support is what allows us to continue to focus on improving the business environment, while you continue to focus on building business success.
Membership in the Calgary Chamber of Commerce allows you to pool resources with other business leaders to create a more effective and efficient advocacy organization - one that in the past year has seen a level of attention and impact for the Chamber that builds significantly on past successes, contributes to high profile public discourse, and produces better public policy results.
More information on our policy and advocacy efforts and the Chamber's new Public & Government Affairs team is available on our website. I welcome your feedback on any of the issues that we've reported to you about in these updates, or others that you think the Chamber should undertake.
I can be reached at 750-0406 or by email at gpradella@calgarychamber.com.
Yours truly,
Geoffrey M. Pradella
Vice President, Public & Government Affairs
The Calgary Chamber of Commerce
Our Mission
The Calgary Chamber of Commerce is a volunteer driven, not-for-profit, and non-partisan advocacy group whose mission is to lead and serve the Calgary business community, valuing its diversity.
On critical and emerging issues in public policy, the Chamber acts as the leading forum for debate, and advocates public policy solutions that improve the business climate on behalf of our members.