Business Council on National Issues Launches Transformation of Mandate and Reach; Thomas d’Aquino to Lead Organization Through 2003

April 6, 2001

David O’Brien, Chairman of the Business Council on National Issues (BCNI), today announced the Council’s decision to embark on a major re-engineering of the organization, one that would lead to increasing activity on North American and global issues in addition to its traditional focus on public policy within Canada. The Council has asked Thomas d’Aquino to lead this process of renewal and transformation, and he has agreed to extend his term as President and Chief Executive to the end of 2003.

“Earlier this year, I decided to pass the torch on to a successor and to pursue fresh and innovative ways beyond the BCNI to ensure that business leadership in Canada could meet the demands of a rapidly changing global business and policy environment,” Mr. d’Aquino wrote in an exchange of letters with Mr. O’Brien. “The willingness of you and my BCNI colleagues to join me in this quest within a ‘re-engineered’ organization has convinced me to accept the Council’s invitation.” The full text of both letters is attached.

The BCNI is the senior voice of Canadian business on issues of national and global relevance to Canadian chief executives. A non-partisan and not-for-profit organization, its member chief executive officers head companies that administer assets in excess of $2 trillion, have a yearly turnover of more than $600 billion and are responsible for a significant majority of Canada’s private sector exports, investment, research and development.

Mr. O’Brien is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Pacific Limited. The BCNI’s Vice-Chairmen are John Cleghorn and Jean Monty, respectively the chief executives of Royal Bank of Canada and BCE Inc.