Business Leaders Congratulate Stephen Harper, Pledge to Work With New Conservative Government

January 24, 2006

Chief executives and entrepreneurs from across Canada are congratulating Conservative Leader Stephen Harper on his victory in yesterday’s federal general election and have pledged to work with the new government in strengthening the country’s foundations for achievement in the decades to come: economic competitiveness, social progress and good governance.

“Canadians have given Mr. Harper a mandate for change,” said Thomas d’Aquino, Chief Executive and President of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE). The CCCE is a non-partisan organization composed of the CEOs of 150 major enterprises and leading entrepreneurs, representing all regions and sectors of the Canadian economy.

“Mr. Harper and his party will be forming a government at a time when Canada is facing serious and growing challenges to its ability to generate continuing growth and prosperity,” Mr. d’Aquino added. “During the campaign, Mr. Harper showed that he understands both the depth of these challenges and the need for bold action to accelerate Canada’s quest to be among the world’s most progressive and innovative countries.”

“As business leaders, we welcome his resolve and look forward to working with his team in pursuit of the Council’s long-standing goal, a goal that we all share: making Canada the best place in the world in which to live, to work, to invest and to grow.”

At the same time, Mr. d’Aquino called on Members of Parliament of all parties to work together constructively to deliver sound public policies that will serve Canada well now and over the long term. “We need to move beyond the squabbling and the short-term political opportunism that characterized much of the last parliamentary session. The first priority of all parties must be to restore public trust and confidence in our democratic institutions by improving the way Parliament works.”

He added, “Voters are looking to the new federal government for greater transparency and a strong commitment to honesty, responsible leadership and good governance.”

Mr. d’Aquino urged all parliamentarians and all parties to work hard to heal the deep divisions that have emerged from the election. “My colleagues and I share with the vast majority of Canadians disappointment and dismay at the lack of civility and respect that characterized aspects of the campaign. More than ever, our political representatives and citizens alike must work together with unparalleled resolve to deal with the challenges facing the country.”

Founded in 1976, the CCCE is Canada’s premier business association, with an outstanding record of achievement in matching entrepreneurial initiative with sound public policy choices. Over the past three decades, the Council has played a private sector leadership role in shaping fiscal, taxation, trade, competition, energy, environmental, education and corporate governance policies. Member CEOs lead companies that collectively administer close to $3 trillion in assets, have annual revenues of more than $650 billion, and are responsible for the vast majority of Canada’s exports, investment, research and development, and training.

In addition to Mr. d’Aquino, the members of the CCCE’s Executive Committee are: Chairman Richard L. George, President and Chief Executive Officer of Suncor Energy Inc.; Honorary Chairman A. Charles Baillie; and Vice-Chairmen Dominic D’Alessandro, Paul Desmarais, Jr., Jacques Lamarre, Gordon M. Nixon and Hartley T. Richardson, the chief executives respectively of Manulife Financial, Power Corporation of Canada, SNC-Lavalin Group Inc., Royal Bank of Canada and James Richardson & Sons, Limited.